WhatsApp Adds Live Photos Support for iPhone, Easier Group Search, More

WhatsApp is rounding up several new features for its messaging app, officially highlighting the ability for iPhone users to share Live Photos. The recap of recent updates also details other improvements, including new AI-powered chat themes, document scanning on Android, and an easier way to find group chats.

For Apple users, the most significant addition is the ability to share Live Photos, which capture sound and movement to bring images to life. The feature also supports receiving Motion Photos from Android devices, allowing for richer media sharing between the two platforms.

The company is also leaning more heavily on Meta AI to add a new layer of personalization. Users can now use text prompts to generate custom chat themes, creating a unique look for individual conversations. That same AI can be used to generate backgrounds for video calls or for photos and videos taken directly within a chat. WhatsApp notes that these Meta AI features may not be available to all users at launch.


In a move that brings feature parity with iOS, WhatsApp is also adding a document scanner for Android. Users can now scan, crop, and send documents directly from the app, a function that was previously only available on the iPhone.

Other additions mentioned in the recap include new 'Fearless Bird' and 'Vacation' sticker packs and an improved group search that lets you find a group chat simply by searching for the name of a member.

The feature roundup follows other recent updates to the app, including the rollout of a new in-app message translation tool that processes translations directly on-device for privacy.

You can download WhatsApp Messenger from the App Store for free.


Download