How can i get whatsapp on my apple watch
WhatsApp on Apple Watch: how to use the messaging service
A WhatsApp on Apple Watch app may still be a dream, but you can still receive message notifications and dictate replies - we show you how
(Image: © TechRadar)
WhatsApp on Apple Watch? Yes please we hear you all shouting! And yet alas, there seems to be no sign of Facebook designing and launching a WhatsApp app for Apple Watch any time soon. Which, as far as we're concerned, is totally perplexing, given that WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging service, with an estimated 2 billion global users.
If you have the latest Apple Watch 7, your biggest gripe has probably been the lack of a WhatsApp app and while there are plenty of us petitioning to get WhatsApp on Apple Watch, even with the launch of the Apple Watch 8 later this year, we're unlikely to get our wish any time soon.
But, fear not WhatsApp and Apple Watch lovers, despite the lack of an official app, if you have the best Apple Watch, you can still use WhatsApp. While having the app installed on the best iPhone is definitely the easiest way to enjoy WhatsApp to the fullest, you can still get limited functionality on your Apple Watch.
So, what exactly does this limited functionality look like? Well, the good news is that you can receive notifications, so you don't need to worry about missing any important messages if you're out and about without your phone. You'll also be able to reply using voice dictation or choose from a selection of pre-written replies. What you can't do is view media, so if someone has sent you a photo or video, you're out of luck on that front.
Not quite the full service we'd like to see, but hey, something is better than nothing, right? WhatsApp on Apple Watch may not be coming any time soon, but there's still enough functionality there to keep most of us happy. And if you really can't get by without it, you might like to take a look at our best smartwatch guide that has other options that may be more suitable for you.
If you've decided to stick with Apple though and haven't yet purchased your watch, be sure to check out the best cheap Apple Watch deals to ensure you lock in the lowest price possible.
And for those of you just dying to figure out make the most of WhatsApp on Apple Watch, read on to find out everything you need to know, including how to reply to messages and what third party WhatsApp apps work on Apple Watch.
Is there going to be a WhatsApp Apple Watch app?
To the best of our knowledge, an official WhatsApp on Apple Watch app isn’t coming any time soon. Or maybe ever.
Why isn’t there an Apple Watch app for WhatsApp?
At first glance it seems like a no-brainer: of course Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook and the owner of WhatsApp, would want to have the world’s most popular chat service on the world’s most popular smartwatch. But there are several reasons why Meta probably won’t make a WhatsApp app soon, or ever.
The first is that WhatsApp probably doesn’t need a smartwatch app: it’s done pretty well without one, after all, coming second only to Facebook and YouTube in the most popular social networks worldwide.
It’s likely that Facebook, as it was still called when it acquired WhatsApp, considered the cost and decided it wasn’t worth it.
The second and more important reason is that Facebook wants to have a single unified infrastructure for its messaging apps.
How to get WhatsApp notifications on your Apple Watch
Although there isn’t an official WhatsApp Apple Watch app, the service does support some of Apple’s notifications functionality – so if you have the app installed on your iPhone, you can get its notifications on your Apple Watch too.
To do that, you’ll need to enable notifications on your iPhone by going into Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp and choosing your notification settings. You want to switch on Show In Notification Centre and Show in Lock Screen.
Once you’ve done that, the next step is to go into the Watch app on your iPhone and tap on Notifications. Scroll down to the Mirror Alerts From section and you should see WhatsApp right at the bottom.
Make sure its toggle switch is on (it’ll be green if it is).
You should now receive WhatsApp notifications on your Apple Watch.
(Image credit: WhatsApp)If you’re using Notifications, tap Reply on your incoming notification and your Watch will give you a selection of pre-defined replies such as “Hello”, “What’s up?”, “On my way” or “OK”.
But you can also tap on the empty Reply field to add your own custom response, which you can enter via Scribble text input or Siri dictation. There’s also a button for those all-important emoji.
What third party WhatsApp apps work on Apple Watch?
(Image credit: WhatsApp)There are quite a few, although the reviews suggest that what delights one WhatsApp user may not delight another. Some of the best known include Chatify, WhatsUp and WatchChat; our current favorite is WatchChat 2, which is free with a $2.99 in-app purchase to unlock its full functionality.
The app has been around for four years now and has maintained a pretty consistent four and a half stars out of five in the App Store.
Setup is simple: simply scan a QR code and then you’ll be able to access not just messages but group chats, videos, HD pictures, stickers and voice messages.
Here’s how to install WatchChat 2 on your Apple Watch.
1 On your Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown to go into the Apps view and open up the App Store
2 Search for WatchChat 2
3 Tap on Get
4 Enter your passcode. If you haven’t set one, your watch will ask you to set one before you can continue
5 When the app has installed, it’ll open and after a while, it’ll display a QR code.
6 Open WhatsApp on your iPhone, go into Settings and tap on the QR code icon to the right of your profile picture
7 Scan the QR code with your phone to link your Apple Watch to WhatsApp
You can now use WatchChat to access all your WhatsApp chats, including group chats, on your Apple Watch. If you long-press on a message you can access the settings screen to adjust audio volume, change font sizes and switch between country-specific keyboards.
It’s important to note that third party developers can’t predict what changes Meta might make to the core WhatsApp app, so features you rely on today may not be available tomorrow.
That means it’s important to choose an app that’s updated regularly: if you don’t, you might find that your app becomes less useful over time. That’s another reason we rate WatchChat 2: it’s been updated more than twenty times in 2021 so far.
Why WhatsApp is joining Facebook Messenger and Instagram
(Image credit: WhatsApp)In 2020, Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to integrate Messenger, Instagram Direct and WhatsApp into a single, unified messaging system.
Part of the reason was to make it easier to find chats: as Instagram’s CO and Messenger’s Vice President said in a statement, “one out of three people sometimes find it difficult to remember where to find a certain conversation thread. With this update, it will be even easier to stay connected without thinking about which app to use to reach your friends and family.
”
If you’re feeling cynical you might note that a single, unified, encrypted system would give Meta complete deniability across all its messaging systems: if it can’t see what people are doing, it can’t be held responsible for or made to moderate any of it. And with anti-trust investigations possibly leading to a break-up of Meta, joining all the services together might ensure their continued existence despite regulators’ best efforts to break Facebook’s near-monopoly in social networking and messaging.
It also appears that Meta would rather you had WhatsApp in your face than on your wrist: in its recent keynote about the Metaverse, Meta showed off a kind of WhatsApp 3D that put chats in virtual reality.
Contributor
Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall (Twitter) has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than a dozen books.
Her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, will be published in November 2022. She is the singer in Glaswegian rock band HAVR.
How to send and receive messages
Getting WhatsApp notifications on your Apple Watch is a great way of staying connected – and can help you become less attached to your smartphone.
But there's still no official WhatsApp app for the Apple Watch. However, it is possible to receive notifications and reply to messages straight from the wrist.
Whats more, if you do want more advanced functionality, you can download a third-party service to get a fuller experience.
- Essential Apple Watch features, tips and tricks you need to know
- Best Apple Watch apps
- Apple Watch Series 7 review
Learn how to get WhatsApp on the Apple Watch by following our guide below, where we'll provide the key steps on setting up WhatsApp notifications and downloading a WhatsApp Apple Watch alternative.
Any questions? Let us know in the comments section below.
Get WhatsApp notifications on Apple Watch
If you're going through standard, official channels, you can receive notifications and reply from the Apple Watch. However, you will need to ensure notifications are turned on first in order to have them mirrored to your phone.
1. On your iPhone, go to the Watch app.
2. From the My Watch tab, tap Notifications.
3. Scroll down to WhatsApp and ensure the switch is turned green. You'll see the option to mirror iPhone alerts to bring those WhatsApp alerts to your wrist.
Once notifications are turned on, you'll notice that your wrist buzzes whenever a message is sent.
However, can you send messages on WhatsApp through the Apple Watch?
Well, yes and no. You can't start a new message, send a voice message, dictate a message or type out full replies.
However, you can pick from a list of simple options to reply, such as, 'Hello', 'What's up?', 'OK' or 'On my way'.
What's more you can record a custom reply via voice recognition and send that straight back to the recipient.
- Best Apple Watch faces
Reply to a WhatsApp message from Apple Watch:
1. Go to the received WhatsApp message notification on the Apple Watch
2. Tap Reply
3. Scroll down and choose one of the custom responses
4. If you want to craft your own reply, you can hit the microphone and record your message.
Download a WhatsApp alternative for the Apple Watch
As we alluded to up top, there's no official WhatsApp app available for the Apple Watch. However, that doesn't mean there aren't third-party alternatives to choose from within the Apple Watch App Store.
It's worth noting that there's many to choose from, both free and paid-for, and it can be difficult to work out which third-party WhatsApp solutions are the most effective and reliable in providing a fuller experience. In our experience, WatchChat 2 (which costs $2.99/£2.99) is probably the pick of the bunch, at least for now.
Not only does it let you view and send messages in all your existing chats, as well as using dictation and Scribble, watch videos and view stickers, it's also fairly simple to get started. Here's how:
1. On your iPhone, go to the Watch app and tap on the App Store.
2. In the search box, type in 'WatchChat 2', then download the app to your Apple Watch.
3. Once downloaded, open the app on your Apple Watch.
4. Then, head to WhatsApp on your iPhone, before going to Settings > WhatsApp Web > Scan QR code.
5.
Scan the QR code that appears on the Apple Watch.
More Apple Watch guides
How to use your Apple Watch
How to make an Apple Watch face
How to use Apple Health
How to set up your Apple Watch
How to use Spotify on Apple Watch
How to add music tracks to Apple Watch
How to update Apple Watch
How to take an ECG reading on Apple Watch
How to pair Apple Watch
How to improve Apple Watch battery life
Download apps on your Apple Watch - Apple Support (UK)
This article explains how to find interesting and useful apps for your Apple Watch.
- Apple Watch App Search
- If the application cannot be found
Find Apps
Use an iPhone that is paired with an Apple Watch or use the App Store on an Apple Watch.
Download apps from App Store on Apple Watch
- Press the Digital Crown to open the Home screen, and then select App Store.
- Tap Search to find apps using Sketch or Dictation, or scroll down to see recommended apps and editorial selections.
- Select an app to view its description, rating and reviews, screenshots, release notes, and more.
- Click the price or "Get".
- When prompted, double-click the side button below the Digital Crown to download and install the app.
If the App Store displays a "Get" button instead of a price on the app page, then the app is free. There is no charge to download the free app. Some free apps offer in-app purchases and subscriptions that can be purchased. In-app subscriptions and purchases give you access to additional features, content, and more. Learn more about subscriptions and in-app purchases.
Download apps on iPhone paired with Apple Watch
- On iPhone, open the Watch app.
- Go to the My Watch tab.
- Scroll to the application you want to add. Apps that can be installed appear in the Available Apps section.
- To add an app to your watch, click Install.
If you can't find an app
- Apple Watch displays apps on the Home screen.
Press the Digital Crown to go to the Home screen. - If an application does not appear on the Home screen, you can view the list of purchased applications and redownload them. When re-downloading the application, payment is not required.
- Some watchOS apps are not currently available in all regions or languages. If you can't find an app in the App Store or on the Home screen, check if it's supported in your region.
Information about non-Apple products or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple is not endorsed or endorsed by Apple. Apple is not responsible for the selection, functionality, or use of third party websites or products. Apple is also not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of information posted on third party websites. Contact the supplier for more information.
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WEAR FAQ: WHATSAPP on Apple Watch
Articles
WEAR FAQ: WHATSAPP on Apple Watch
Learn how to view and reply to messages with your Apple watch.
If you're using your Apple Watch as a second screen for your iPhone, you'll probably want to pair it with one of the world's most popular messaging platforms, WhatsApp.
Looking ahead, we note right away that there is no official WhatsApp application for Apple smartwatches, although you can receive notifications and download various third-party solutions to get more features.
Next, we'll walk you through the key steps to set up WhatsApp notifications and download alternative WhatsApp apps on your Apple Watch.
Set up WhatsApp notifications on Apple Watch
If you follow the standard path suggested by the manufacturer, you can receive notifications and even respond to them using your Apple Watch. However, you first need to make sure notifications are turned on so that they mirror on your phone. To activate, perform the following steps:
1. On the iPhone, go to the Watch app.
2. On the My Watch tab, click Notifications.
3. Scroll down to WhatsApp and make sure that the switch is in the active position (green).
After turning on notifications, you may notice that the gadget vibrates when you receive a message.
So is it possible to send WhatsApp messages through Apple Watch?
Yes and no. You can't create a new message, send a voice message, dictate a message, or enter full answers, but you can choose a pre-made message from a list of simple answers, such as "Hi," "What's up?", "OK," or "I'm on my way."
Replying to messages from your wrist
To reply to WhatsApp messages from your wrist, follow these steps:
1. Go to the received WhatsApp message on Apple Watch;
2. Press "Reply";
3. Scroll down and select one of the custom responses;
4. If there is a need to create your own response, in addition to the templates present, you can click on the microphone icon and record your message.
Alternative to WhatsApp for Apple Watch
We have already said that there is no official WhatsApp application for Apple Watch.
However, that doesn't mean the Apple Watch App Store doesn't have third-party alternatives to choose from.
There are plenty to choose from. There are both free and paid solutions, and determining which third-party WhatsApp solutions are the most effective and reliable can be difficult.
One of the most popular options all over the world is WatchChat 2. Recently, another app even added a Russian keyboard. True, it is paid. WatchChat 2 not only allows you to view and send messages in all existing chats, but also use your voice to dictate a message.
Install as follows:
1. On the iPhone, go to the Watch app and click on the App Store.
2. Enter "WatchChat 2" in the search field, then download the app to your Apple Watch.
3. After downloading, open the application on Apple Watch.
4. Then go to WhatsApp on iPhone, go to "Settings" > "WhatsApp Web" > "Scan QR code".
5. Scan the QR code that is displayed on the Apple Watch.
