WhatsApp for Apple Watch: Everything You Need to Know

After years of anticipation, WhatsApp has finally arrived on the Apple Watch. The new dedicated Apple Watch app lets you browse chats, send text and voice messages within recent conversations, and even receive new messages and WhatsApp calls right from your wrist. You no longer need to rely on notification mirroring or third-party apps, as the Apple Watch experience is now complete with one of the world’s most popular messaging apps.

Keep reading to learn how to get and use WhatsApp on your Apple Watch.

All the Ways You Can Use WhatsApp on Apple Watch

Like the iPad version, Meta has designed WhatsApp for Apple Watch to work natively. It gives you quick access to all your recent chats without having to reach for your iPhone. That said, the Apple Watch app requires you to open WhatsApp on your iPhone the first time you try to open it on your watch. The interface fits beautifully into the watchOS design, offering a smooth and intuitive experience.

Here’s everything the new app can do:

• Browse Through Chats: The app syncs all the conversations from your iPhone’s WhatsApp, allowing you to scroll through them right on your wrist. All the chats are available to you in full and not just in notifications. Messages appear in a clean, easy-to-read layout optimized for quick glances.
• Reply Effortlessly: Use voice dictation, preset replies, emoji reactions, or the dedicated QWERTY keypad to respond to messages directly. This is especially handy for quick responses when you’re on the move.
• Send Voice Messages: Just like WhatsApp on iPhone, tap the Microphone icon at the bottom-right corner to record and send a voice message instead of a regular text message.
• Get Call Notifications: Receive incoming WhatsApp call alerts on your Apple Watch and choose to answer or decline them without reaching for your iPhone.
• Media Viewing: View images shared in your chats directly on your Apple Watch, so you don’t need to open your iPhone to see what’s been sent. For videos, the app shows the [Unsupported, View on iPhone] dialog box.
• Stay in Sync with Your iPhone: Every action on your watch, such as sent replies, is reflected instantly on your iPhone, maintaining message continuity across devices.

Oddly enough, the app lacks some of the more fun and useful features, such as viewing status updates, making calls, and starting a new chat.

It seems WhatsApp decided to stick to the basics, and honestly, I’m not complaining. We now have a native app that offers a buttery-smooth experience, perfectly aligned with what users have been waiting for.

Compatibility and Requirements

Before trying to install WhatsApp on Apple Watch, make sure you meet these requirements:

• An Apple Watch Series 4 or newer running watchOS 10 or later
• An iPhone running iOS 18 or later
• Latest version of WhatsApp installed on your iPhone

How to Set Up WhatsApp on Apple Watch

Although every app installed on your iPhone automatically appears on your Apple Watch if it’s compatible, you can manually install WhatsApp on your Apple Watch if it doesn’t appear automatically. Here’s how:

1. Open the App Store app on your Apple Watch.
2. Here, use the search bar to search for WhatsApp Messenger.
3. Locate and select the WhatsApp Messenger in the search results.
4. Tap Install.
   

Once installed, the app automatically links to your existing WhatsApp account on your iPhone, no additional login required.

How to Use WhatsApp on Apple Watch

Using WhatsApp on Apple Watch is simple. Here’s how:

1. Open the app to view your recent chats.
2. Tap any conversation to read or reply, and scroll using the Digital Crown. You can reply with voice dictation, quick responses, or emojis, and even view photos sent to you.
3. When a WhatsApp call comes in, answer or decline it directly from your wrist.
   

Chatting Made Simple, Right on Your Wrist…

WhatsApp on Apple Watch delivers exactly what users have been asking for: quick message access, instant replies, and call handling, all from the wrist. And since it took Meta so long to deliver, the app feels well-designed, responsive, and tightly integrated with iOS, making it one of the best smartwatch messaging experiences available today.

Tried WhatsApp on your Apple Watch yet? Share your first impressions in the comments below.

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