How to use WhatsApp on your smartwatch

Here’s a guide to using WhatsApp on your smartwatch.

Wear OS 3 users received access to the WhatsApp app in July 2023, marking a significant step for the messaging service owned by Meta. This move aims to cater to a subset of their extensive monthly active user base.

After nearly a year of beta testing, a more comprehensive version of the app was introduced in May, enabling users to not only receive message notifications and send quick replies but also make voice calls and navigate text chats.

How to install and utilize WhatsApp on your Wear OS smartwatch

To use WhatsApp on your smartwatch, make sure it’s running Wear OS 3 or a later version. Install the app on your Android phone via the Play Store and ensure it’s also present on your watch. Remember, the Wear OS versions of apps on your phone don’t automatically sync to your watch.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to installing WhatsApp on your watch:

Wake up your watch by pressing the Power button and then access the Play Store.

Select “Apps on your phone.”

Locate WhatsApp and tap “Install.”

Make sure your phone and watch are connected, then open WhatsApp on both devices.

Your watch will display an eight-character code. Enter this code on the pairing prompt shown on your phone.

Upon launching the app, you’ll find a list of your recent conversations. Select any conversation to enter the chat thread.

At the bottom of the screen, you can respond by tapping the microphone icon for a voice message or the keyboard icon to use Wear OS’s built-in input method.

This allows you to employ a virtual keyboard, insert emojis, utilize Google’s voice-to-text feature, or select a quick reply from the available options.

What about WhatsApp on Apple Watch?

While the Wear OS app fills a gap for Android users, the Apple Watch is still without an official WhatsApp app. Although both platforms share similarities, there’s no indication of an upcoming Apple Watch app.

Even if it were to be developed, it might take a while. Apple Watch users eagerly await this addition to their device.

In the interim, Android and Wear OS users gain an advantage over Apple’s ecosystem in terms of WhatsApp functionality. Although lacking iMessage, these users enjoy a more comprehensive WhatsApp experience.

Interestingly, this development coincides with Adam Mosseri, head of sister Meta property Instagram, praising Android as a superior mobile operating system compared to iOS.