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WhatsApp Can Now Be Your Default Call and Messaging App on iPhone

Well I just set it as default messaging app, I asked Siri to send a message to my wife and Siri asked me to confirm I want Whatsapp.
Second time I asked Siri said that I usually use Whatsapp, do I want to use it again.
Third time it finally defaulted to Whatsapp.
Not sure that is what I understood by "default" setting.
 
MacRumors said:


WhatsApp can now be selected as the default calling and messaging app on iPhone, if users so wish (via WABetaInfo).

whatsapp-default-app-iphone.jpg

A change in the latest version of WhatsApp available on the App Store (v25.8.74) causes the Meta-owned encrypted chat platform to now show up in the Messaging and Calling options list in iOS Settings ➝ Apps ➝ Default Apps.

Apple introduced a way for users to select their preferred default apps for iPhone in iOS 18.2. Apple initially said that the feature would be coming to the European Union, but it turned out to be available worldwide.

If you select WhatsApp for Messaging and/or Calling, your iPhone will automatically open the app when called upon instead of Apple's built-in options, Messages and Phone/FaceTime.
For example, in Apple's Contacts app, if you tap the buttons to message or call someone from their contacts card, iOS will immediately open WhatsApp.


Article Link: WhatsApp Can Now Be Your Default Call and Messaging App on iPhone
Click to expand...
Not sure why anyone would want to lose all their privacy?
Why get an iPhone in the first place?
 
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I deleted WhatsApp the minute I heard Facebook will buy it, in 2013 maybe.

Switched to Telegram, Threema and Signal almost all at once and of course told people with an iPhone about iMessage. They ALL thought the Messages app is only for SMS.
 
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robvalentine said:
Not a fan of Meta, or whatsapp, but I have to use it as it's a more universla messaging app, and RCS support in the UK for iPhones is not existant. No one I know uses imessage in the UK other than posters on here claiming they do. Making it default will maybe stop siri sending a text when I say "send a whatsapp...". Unlikley though as Siri sucks.
Click to expand...
It's perhaps, because you don't use Apple messages, that you're not aware of the fact, just about every Android user in my contacts list, has RCS available, the only ones that don't, are the people that haven't enabled it on their Android phones.
The only thing you can't do with RCS is video calls, without an invite initiated by the iPhone user for a Face time call, so there is absolutely no reason to lose all your privacy with WhatsApp....but hey, you carry on as you see fit for yourself 🙂
 
Great for those that need and exercise the other options for default apps, but such an inconvenience for everyone else. It’s the reason we now need to go to Settings, scroll to bottom for Apps, then scroll to find Phone, Messages, Mail, Safari, etc. instead of having them in the first navigation level at the top like they used to be.
 
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robvalentine said:
Yes, and it still sends via sms/imessage. Which is why I don't bother
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear it’s not working for you, I can understand the frustration. I just tried again, just to be sure, and it works for me, at least in Italian, so I’m not sure what the issue may be 😕

I’m attaching a screenshot of what I get with that prompt.
 

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sunapple said:
Everyone in The Netherlands uses WhatsApp. There’s no way around it. Same for other apps in other countries. So it’s a very useful feature.
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Every single person use it? There is always a way around it, just don't install the thing. I have never used it, nor will I ever use it. SMS works fine.
 
wave84 said:
How about:

- Because everyone in your list and in your country use it
- Because 95% of people all over the world use it
- Because sometimes it's required to access all kinds of services
- Because it is a good way to communicate with your non iOS friends
Click to expand...
Bull, there may be a lot of people that use it, but not 95%.
I live in the U.K and I know a fair few people that don't use it, myself included. I use voice, SMS and email.
 
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iHorseHead said:
Everyone in Europe. Even for video calling. I've never Facetimed in my entire life. Even if someone else has an iPhone they refuse to use Messages or FaceTime. Everything is through WhatsApp.
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I'm in Europe and I don't, especially with other iPhone users, for messages there's RCS and I can even invite the few Android users I communicate with, to a Face Time call.
So please, don't pretend to speak for everyone in Europe.
 
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Ad47uk said:
Bull, there may be a lot of people that use it, but not 95%.
I live in the U.K and I know a fair few people that don't use it, myself included. I use voice, SMS and email.
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Almost everyone has it, because almost every iPhone user has one acquaintance or a business contact with an Android and before RCS.......
Doesn't mean everybody uses it all the time or even often, I use it purely for business contacts and a few family members that don't have an iPhone
 
kamyk35 said:
I'm in Europe and I don't, especially with other iPhone users, for messages there's RCS and I can even invite the few Android users I communicate with, to a Face Time call.
So please, don't pretend to speak for everyone in Europe.
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You are an exception, but I've lived in a 4 different EU countries and I'm talking about my experiences. You are a very very rare exception.
 
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I actually feel that lately a lot of people are moving to Signal. I have about 350 contacts and when I first installed Signal about 3 years ago, only a handful of people were using it. Now, there are over 160 people in my list that have Signal and every week about 7 to 8 people are added. Lately, there is a huge surge in Signal downloads and media coverage following the political turn of events in the US and the consequences they had/have to the big-tech companies. Here in the Netherlands, Signal has seen an increase of 1000% p.m. in the last two months.

Personally I was never a fan of Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook or WhatsApp. I felt like I was forced to use WhatsApp as so many people and companies use it. Could 2025 be the year of the WhatsApp alternatives like Signal and RCS?
 
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A lot of people use Whatsapp all the time to call people overseas. I can see how some might like this, especially for countries where Apple/FaceTime isn't as popular.
 
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Unfortunately my Apple Watch doesn’t show incoming WhatsApp calls. Is there any way of fixing that? Thank you.
 
Would be nice if WhatsApp could bring out widgets. Nice to have the choice, not sure it makes any difference to me
 
I am living in Europe with two kids. Their hobbies alone mean that I have to be in six or seven WhatsApp groups. Plus my own football coaching groups.

I prefer iMessages myself but WhatsApp is simply mandatory tool nowadays.
 
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Ad47uk said:
Every single person use it? There is always a way around it, just don't install the thing. I have never used it, nor will I ever use it. SMS works fine.
Click to expand...
Yeah I asked every person before I posted so I’m sure.

Seriously though, from family, friends, to work plus group chats for party invites, holidays, festival plans, work channels with updates, it’s all WhatsApp. I don’t know anybody personally who doesn’t use it, it would be like going off grid and quitting part of your social life.

I wish it wasn’t true, I hate WhatsApp with a passion.
 
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