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WhatsApp Rolls Out Web Calling, Call Transfer Across Devices, and More

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WhatsApp has announced a handful of enhancements for group calling over the encrypted platform, including seamless call transfers across devices and a new web calling feature.

whatsapp-web-calls.jpeg

It's now possible to make and receive audio and video calls, including both one-on-one and group calls, directly from WhatsApp Web. The new browser-based service provides access to common features available on other devices, like screen sharing, reactions, and a dedicated Calls tab with a user's full call history.

WhatsApp says the end-to-end encrypted web service will make it easier to jump on a call without leaving your browser, and it should be especially welcomed by anyone who uses a work laptop that doesn't allow app downloads.

The latest rollout also brings Call Transfer, allowing users to move an active group call from one device to another without hanging up.

Then there's the new Waiting Room, which appears when creating a WhatsApp call link with "Require approval to join" enabled. Participants now enter the waiting room first until the host is ready to let them in.

Two last additions round out this update: QuickHD allows users to enjoy high-definition video immediately in the very first few seconds of the call, while Noise Suppression removes background noise so that voices come through more clearly, even in loud or busy environments.

WhatsApp says the slate of new features are rolling out gradually and will be "available to everyone soon."

Article Link: WhatsApp Rolls Out Web Calling, Call Transfer Across Devices, and More
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/29/whatsapp-web-calling-waiting-room-features/
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I don't know if the OS (I'm on sequoia), but I keep updating this app on my Mac Studio and after 25+ years of using Macs, it is THE worst app for crashing. I can barely use it and I don't use it all the time either. Maybe it's just bad luck for me...

Crazy thing is everywhere else in the world seems to use it for everything. Works ok on my phone, but not the Mac.
 
bluecoast said:
OK.

I'm in the UK and WhatsApp is the 'lingua franca' of messaging apps here, so it's impossible to avoid.

Obviously no massive company is perfect - including Apple - but Meta I think are at the bottom of the pile (along with TikTok / Bytedance) as far as morals are concerned.
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Agreed. I wish I could stop using it.

Not only is Meta at the bottom of the moral pile (I agree), but their iOS support policy is pathetic. Telegram and iMessage work on very old versions of iOS yet WhatsApp keeps removing support.

Literally a lose-lose-lose proposition, yet sadly I can’t stay away from it.
 
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FeliApple said:
Agreed. I wish I could stop using it.

Not only is Meta at the bottom of the moral pile (I agree), but their iOS support policy is pathetic. Telegram and iMessage work on very old versions of iOS yet WhatsApp keeps removing support.

Literally a lose-lose-lose proposition, yet sadly I can’t stay away from it.
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I always roll my eyes when Apple goes on about 'green bubble friends' when they talk about iMessage at the WWDC keynote.

It's literally only in the USA where iMessage has 50% or so of mobile messaging.

Plenty of the people in the UK that I have to message on WhatsApp (because it's the default) are doing so on iPhones.

Why? because Apple didn't make it cross platform, they've allowed WhatsApp and other messengers (depending on the country) to become the defecto messaging apps.

But if it works for Apple to build a moat in their home market, OK, fair enough.

I feel bad for myself - and those with similar sentiments - as I'd love to never use WhatsApp ever again.
 
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bluecoast said:
I always roll my eyes when Apple goes on about 'green bubble friends' when they talk about iMessage at the WWDC keynote.

It's literally only in the USA where iMessage has 50% or so of mobile messaging.

Plenty of the people in the UK that I have to message on WhatsApp (because it's the default) are doing so on iPhones.

Why? because Apple didn't make it cross platform, they've allowed WhatsApp and other messengers (depending on the country) to become the defecto messaging apps.

But if it works for Apple to build a moat in their home market, OK, fair enough.

I feel bad for myself - and those with similar sentiments - as I'd love to never use WhatsApp ever again.
Click to expand...
Yeah, and the sad part is that not even among iPhones has iMessage been adopted like that. I can write from any iOS or MacOS device, any iOS version since iOS 5, it’s just perfect. But no.

People have to use the garbage that is WhatsApp. I only have my 16 Plus because the rest of my iPhones isn’t compatible. And there’s nothing I can do, I can’t fight absolutely everyone on this, I even was kind of forced to upgrade from my iPhone Xʀ on iOS 12 because WhatsApp was dropping support (and I’m not updating).

I wish Apple’s green bubble friends could write to me on iMessage and I wish people outside the US agreed.

But it is what it is. I have to use WhatsApp on the one device I have for it (iPhone 16 Plus on iOS 18) just because people adopted it and there’s no going back now.
 
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MacRumors said:


WhatsApp has announced a handful of enhancements for group calling over the encrypted platform, including seamless call transfers across devices and a new web calling feature.

whatsapp-web-calls.jpeg

It's now possible to make and receive audio and video calls, including both one-on-one and group calls, directly from WhatsApp Web. The new browser-based service provides access to common features available on other devices, like screen sharing, reactions, and a dedicated Calls tab with a user's full call history.

WhatsApp says the end-to-end encrypted web service will make it easier to jump on a call without leaving your browser, and it should be especially welcomed by anyone who uses a work laptop that doesn't allow app downloads.

The latest rollout also brings Call Transfer, allowing users to move an active group call from one device to another without hanging up.

Then there's the new Waiting Room, which appears when creating a WhatsApp call link with "Require approval to join" enabled. Participants now enter the waiting room first until the host is ready to let them in.

Two last additions round out this update: QuickHD allows users to enjoy high-definition video immediately in the very first few seconds of the call, while Noise Suppression removes background noise so that voices come through more clearly, even in loud or busy environments.

WhatsApp says the slate of new features are rolling out gradually and will be "available to everyone soon."

Article Link: WhatsApp Rolls Out Web Calling, Call Transfer Across Devices, and More
Click to expand...
Yay


More scams


More work for me 🤣🤣🤣
 
FeliApple said:
Agreed. I wish I could stop using it.

Not only is Meta at the bottom of the moral pile (I agree), but their iOS support policy is pathetic. Telegram and iMessage work on very old versions of iOS yet WhatsApp keeps removing support.

Literally a lose-lose-lose proposition, yet sadly I can’t stay away from it.
Click to expand...
I bluntly stopped using it. If people want the reach me there's Signal, Telegram, SMS, And iMessage. Plenty of choice, no reason not to contact me.
 
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TracerAnalog said:
I bluntly stopped using it. If people want the reach me there's Signal, Telegram, SMS, And iMessage. Plenty of choice, no reason not to contact me.
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I’d like to do this but I would be the one missing out - as well as several friends and family group chats I’d no longer be part of, I’d miss out on a load of work stuff too as there are 3 very large work WhatsApp groups for info sharing and the like..

I almost wish Meta would charge for standard WhatsApp as then I feel it would be the push for many people to find something else
 
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TracerAnalog said:
I bluntly stopped using it. If people want the reach me there's Signal, Telegram, SMS, And iMessage. Plenty of choice, no reason not to contact me.
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Just like @martin2345uk said, I’d be left out of everything. Trust me, I want to stop using it as much as you do.
martin2345uk said:
I’d like to do this but I would be the one missing out - as well as several friends and family group chats I’d no longer be part of, I’d miss out on a load of work stuff too as there are 3 very large work WhatsApp groups for info sharing and the like..

I almost wish Meta would charge for standard WhatsApp as then I feel it would be the push for many people to find something else
Click to expand...
Almost wish? I wish Meta charged US$ 300.000 per millisecond to use. People would drop it and I’d be happy.
 
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bluecoast said:
OK.

I'm in the UK and WhatsApp is the 'lingua franca' of messaging apps here, so it's impossible to avoid.

Obviously no massive company is perfect - including Apple - but Meta I think are at the bottom of the pile (along with TikTok / Bytedance) as far as morals are concerned.
Click to expand...
I do feel bad for the UK peeps stuck with this app.

However, I don’t see how it is something required (outside of a job) as if people want to truly keep in touch, they will find a way outside of WhatsApp.

If it’s also required for a job, would they not supply a work phone to use the software they require for the job functions? Curious really.
 
When you get a group call on WhatsApp, you just get a notification that brings you to the app, instead of a "slide to answer" like with every other call app. Can't they fix this first, instead of introducing new features? Now that Meta killed Messenger, WhatsApp is pretty much the main way to talk to people and have group chats, it would be great if it stopped sucking.

  • iMessage only works with people with iPhones
  • No one I've ever met uses Telegram or Signal
  • Messenger just nuked its desktop app for some reason
  • Discord is more like a "community" thing I guess? I dunno, no one I know uses it
  • WhatsApp and Messenger is what 100% of people I know use, but now WhatsApp is the only one that works on desktop.
 
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Strange is only group calls can get the "handoff" feature, really silly, would love to have a similar handoff like FaceTime, i use multiple devices android and iOS so i try to not get locked to apple only and use Whatsapp primarily , this would be a great feature , as I have used it alot with facetime
 
aknabi said:
Well give Microsofth*t or Gooagle aren't any "better" as a companies (and the bloated, steaming, diaper-filled 💩show that is MS Teams) we're going to use this as a small business while we evaluate alternatives (on the waitlist for Office.eu).
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There are way more than three video calling providers. This list doesn't even include the two most popular ones used by tech companies
 
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