WhatsApp rolls out more AI features, iOS multi-account support

WhatsApp is rolling out multiple features designed to make the app easier to use, including AI-powered message replies and photo retouching, support for two accounts on iOS, and chat history transfer between iOS and Android devices.

Meta said that after the new updates, users will be able to touch up images in the chat before sharing them with contacts or in groups using Meta AI.

The Writing Help feature enables users to quickly draft a response based on the active conversation, with Meta saying it uses Private Processing to ensure messages are completely private.

"Writing Help is built on top of Private Processing technology, which allows you to leverage Meta AI to generate a response without Meta or WhatsApp ever reading your message or the suggested re-writes," Meta states.

The company says WhatsApp now also helps find large media files in any chat, quickly freeing up space without deleting entire conversations.

Additionally, WhatsApp allows two WhatsApp accounts to be logged in at the same time on iOS (an option that was already available on Android devices), and its chat transfer feature now supports moving message history from iOS to Android (including individual and group chats, call history, channel and community history, and more).

"Now, with just a few taps, your conversations, photos, and videos easily come with you no matter what device you're using," Meta said.

​Earlier this month, WhatsApp also introduced parent-managed accounts for pre-teens, a feature that allows parents to decide who can contact them and which groups they can join.

Meta also introduced new WhatsApp anti-scam protections that warn users when behavioral signals suggest an incoming device-linking request may be fraudulent.

These scam defenses were added soon after the Dutch intelligence agencies warned that Russian state-backed hackers had been targeting Dutch government employees in phishing attacks aimed at their Signal and WhatsApp accounts.

In January, Meta also began rolling out a new WhatsApp lockdown security feature designed to protect journalists, public figures, and other high-risk individuals from sophisticated threats, including, but not limited to, spyware attacks.