What the VK application looks like on Android: complete overview of the interface

Users of devices based on Android spend hours on social networks every day, and VKontakte remains one of the most popular services in the Russian-speaking segment. The appearance of the application has undergone significant changes in recent years, turning from a simple messenger into a multifunctional ecosystem. The modern interface has become cleaner, more adaptive and rich in visual elements, which requires users to understand the new navigation.

In this article we will analyze in detail exactly what the current version of the VK client looks like on a smartphone, which areas of the screen are responsible for key functions and how you can personalize the appearance for yourself. You will learn about the location of the main menus, features of the dark theme and hidden settings that will help make using the application more convenient.

It is worth noting that developers regularly update the design, so some buttons or icons may differ slightly depending on the OS version and the model of your smartphone. However, the general structure and logic of element placement remain unchanged, providing a familiar interaction experience.

Home screen and navigation bar

When the application is launched, the user is taken to the main page, which is an endless news feed. At the top of the screen there is traditionally a “header” with a logo, a search bar and a button for calling additional actions. This is where the main tools for quick access to content are concentrated.

Navigation at the bottom of the screen is implemented through a fixed panel with five main icons. It's an industry standard that lets you quickly switch between sections with just the touch of your thumb. The central button often changes depending on the context or advertising campaigns, but usually leads to the creation of a new post or opening of services.

It is important to understand that the order of the tabs can be partially changed in the settings, but the basic structure remains as follows:

• 🏠 Home — news feed, stories and recommended content.
• 🔍 Services — access to mini-applications, games, money transfers and market.
• 💬 Messenger —list of dialogues, calls and chats with communities.
• 🔔 Notifications —likes, comments, replies and system alerts.
• 👤 Profile — personal page, editing data and account settings.

⚠️ Attention: In some versions of the application, the “Services” button can be replaced with “Clips” or “Video”, depending on the priorities of the developers in a particular period of time.

The top panel also contains status indicators, such as battery level (in some widgets) or network connection status. The search works globally: it searches for people, communities, music and videos at the same time, which saves the user’s time.

News feed and content display format

The central place in the interface is occupied by the news feed, the algorithms of which are formed based on the user’s interests. Visually, posts are divided into cards with clear boundaries, which makes it easier to perceive information. Each post contains the author's avatar, publication time, text, media files and an action bar.

Media files in the feed adapt to the width of the device screen. Horizontal photos occupy the entire available width, while vertical ones can be displayed in a reduced form with the ability to expand to full screen. Video content often starts automatically when scrolling, unless autoplay is disabled in the settings.

Special gestures and buttons are provided to control the feed. Swiping to the right opens a filter menu where you can choose to show only news from friends or communities. Swiping to the left usually opens access to stories, which are displayed as circles at the top of the screen.

The action bar under each post is standard and contains icons for like, comment, repost and save. A long press on the “Like” button opens an expanded menu with reactions in the form of emoji, which allows you to express emotions more accurately than with a simple heart.

Profile menu and page editing

Going to the profile section opens the user’s personal page, which looks like a business card on a social network. At the top there is a large cover, under which there is a round avatar and basic statistics: the number of friends, subscribers and photos.

Below is a block with basic information: city, date of birth, education and place of work. This data may be hidden by privacy settings, in which case a message indicating that the information is not available will be displayed instead. The profile editing button is usually located under the statistics block or in the upper right corner in the form of a pencil.

The profile structure includes several tabs or blocks that can be hidden and moved:

• 📸 Photos —albums and downloaded images.
• 🎵 Music —favorite tracks and playlists.
• 🎬 Video —downloaded videos and saved recordings.
• 📝 Articles - longreads written by the user.

⚠️ Attention: The profile interface may differ for verified pages (with a checkmark) and pages of popular bloggers who have additional buttons for promotion and statistics.

At the bottom of the profile there is often a block “Online Friends” and “Subscriptions”, which allows you to quickly move on to communicating with active contacts. The design of this block is made in the form of a grid with avatars, which makes it compact and informative.

Messenger interface and chat settings

The messages section is placed in a separate tab and is a list of all active dialogs. Each list element contains the interlocutor's avatar, name, text of the last message and the time it was sent. Unread messages are highlighted in bold and with a blue circle with a number.

When you open a specific dialogue, the interface changes: the name of the interlocutor and his status (online, recently visited) appears at the top, and a text input field appears at the bottom. The input panel has buttons for attaching files, recording voice messages, and sending stickers. Voice messages can be sent either by normal pressing or by an “up” gesture to record a recording without holding your finger.

The following formatting and interaction functions are available inside the chat:

• 📎 Attachments — documents, photos, videos, audio and geolocation.
• 🎤 Voice — recording and listening to messages with changing speed.
• 📌 Pinning — fixing important messages at the top of the chat.
• 🗑️ Deleting — deleting messages for yourself and the interlocutor.

Particular attention should be paid to the call functions. In the upper right corner of the dialogue there are video call and audio call icons. The quality of communication depends on the Internet connection, and the interface during a call shows the call time and microphone and camera control buttons.

Dark theme and appearance customization

One ​​of the most popular features is the ability to change the color scheme of the application. A dark theme not only reduces eye strain in low light conditions, but also saves battery power on smartphones with AMOLEDscreens, where black color means disabled pixels.

Switching the theme is done through the main settings menu. The user can choose to switch automatically depending on the time of day or Android system settings, or set the mode to static. In addition to the standard dark theme, various color accents are available for interface elements.

Available design options include:

• 🌑 Night —a classic dark gray background.
• 🌌 Darkness —a completely black background for OLED screens.
• 🎨 Color themes —the ability to select the primary color of buttons and icons.

How to enable the full black theme?

Go to Settings → Application → Theme → Select "Dark". This option is only available on devices with the appropriate screen type for maximum energy savings.

Customization is not limited to just colors. In some versions of the application, you can change the font size, which is especially important for users with visual impairments or for comfortable reading from a long distance.

Interface version comparison table

To better understand the evolution of the design, consider the differences between the old and new versions of the interface in the table below. This will help users who have recently updated the application to navigate the changes.

Interface element	Old version (until 2022)	New version (current)	Impact on convenience
Navigation	Side menu (hamburger)	Bottom panel (tabbar)	Simplies one-handed access
News feed	Continuous flow without division	Card system with indents	Increases text readability
Stories	Separate tab or hidden	Circles at the top of the feed	Integration into the main thread
Messenger	Part of the general menu	Dedicated bottom tab	Speeds up access to chats

⚠️ Attention: Developers may bring back some elements of the old design in the form of experimental features, so the interface may hybridize in new updates.

The transition to bottom navigation has become the standard for mobile applications, as smartphone screens grow larger and it becomes inconvenient to reach the top left corner. The card system also corresponds to modern design trends Material Design from Google.

Hidden functions and control gestures

In addition to the obvious buttons, The app has many hidden functions activated by gestures. Knowing these combinations allows you to significantly speed up your work with the social network and look like an advanced user in the eyes of your friends.

For example, double-tapping the screen in photo viewing mode zooms in on the image, and triple-tapping it returns the original zoom. In the news feed, swiping right on a post can open a menu of quick actions, such as “Hide” or “Report.”

In the music section, there is a handy gesture: pull the playback bar down to minimize the player without stopping the music. This allows you to continue listening to the background while you browse other sections of the application.

Gesture: Double tap on the avatar in the chat
Action: Quickly switch to the profile of the interlocutor

Another useful feature is the ability to quickly switch between accounts. Just hold down your avatar in the side menu (or in your profile settings) to see the list of added pages and instantly switch to another without entering a password.

⚠️ Attention: The functionality of gestures may differ on different versions of Android and depends on the specific build of the application, so some combinations may not work on older devices.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why did my side menu on the left disappear?

VKontakte developers replaced the classic side menu with a lower one navigation bar to improve ergonomics on large screens. All functions that were in the side menu are now distributed across the lower tabs or are available through the “Services” button.

How to change the font size in the VK application?

Go to the application settings, select the “Basic” or “Application” section, then find the “Font Size” item. There you can select one of the proposed options or synchronize the size with the system settings of your Android smartphone.

Is it possible to completely disable the recommendations feed?

It is impossible to completely disable the recommendations block, since this is the main monetization of the platform. However, you can use third-party clients (with caution) or regularly click “Hide” on unwanted posts to train the algorithm to show more relevant content.

Where is the message archive in the new interface?

Archived chats are hidden from the general list. To access them, you need to go to the messenger settings or use the search by the name of the archived dialogue. Some versions have a separate “Archive” folder at the top of the chat list.

Why does the application look different on my phone and on a friend’s?

VKontakte often conducts A/B testing of new features and design elements. This means that different users can be shown different versions of the interface at the same time. Differences may also be related to the version of the Android operating system.