WhatsApp Can Now Become Your Default Calling App On iPhone: How It Works
WhatsApp on iOS has been a third-party app for many years but the new iOS 18 updates are changing that in multiple ways.
IOS Whatsapp Features: WhatsApp has rolled out a new feature for iPhones that will make it easier for users to use the app as their default calling and messaging app. Following the recent iOS 18.2 update , the messaging app lets users set WhatsApp as their default messaging and calling app, meaning when they tap a phone number or message button, the iPhone will automatically launch WhatsApp instead of the built-in Phone or Messages apps.
The change was first noted by WABetaInfo. It allows the Meta-owned messaging service to appear in the default menu for app selection within iOS settings, reported MacRumors.
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To access the feature, users need to update WhatsApp to the newest version via the App Store. Once the iOS 18.2 update is there, iPhone users can now head over to Settings > Apps > Default Apps and select WhatsApp for their default calling and messaging needs.
Once WhatsApp is set as the default for messaging and/or calling, the built-in Phone or Messages will not open automatically when you tap on a contact’s number or click on the message button.
The iPhone will automatically launch the messaging app when users initiate a call or send a message. For example, tapping the message or call button within a contact’s card in the iPhone’s Contacts app will now direct users straight to WhatsApp instead of the default Apple applications.
It is worth noting that the update is now available for all iPhone users via the App Store, allowing them to seamlessly integrate WhatsApp into their daily communication routines. Originally, the feature was expected to be restricted to users in the European Union, but it has since been made available worldwide.
In other news, the tech giant seems to be developing several new features for its iOS app that will offer more flexibility to developers and users. Besides the messages and calls options, iPhone users can also select alternative default apps for web browsing, email, translation, password management, call filtering and payments (in select regions).
Moreover, in the European Union, the Cupertino-based tech giant has gone a step further by allowing users to change their default maps app.
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