The feature is available with the 25.8.74 update of WhatsApp on iOS. — Photo by Dimitri Karastelev on Unsplash
With the latest update to WhatsApp on iOS, users can now set the Meta-owned app as the default for calling and messaging.
When set as the default app, WhatsApp will automatically be launched when a phone number is tapped in a separate app, similar to how the built-in dialer app functions.
It will also allow WhatsApp to open when users select the message option on a contact.
The feature is available with the 25.8.74 update of WhatsApp on iOS. Users can change their default calling and messaging app in the settings menu by navigating to the "Settings" option and selecting "Default Apps".
From here, just tap on "Default Calling App" and "Default Messaging App", then choose WhatsApp.
According to a report from The Verge, Apple had originally promised the ability to select alternative calling and messaging to users in the European Union late last year, later saying that it would be available to iPhone users worldwide in iOS 18.2, no longer restricting users to built-in default apps.
