Key Takeaways
- WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature allowing users to access and share Instagram and Facebook content directly within the app.
- Users need to link their WhatsApp account to Meta’s Accounts Center to use the feature.
- The feature is currently available to some beta testers on Android and iOS.
WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that enables users to access and share content from their Instagram and Facebook accounts directly within the app. This update is part of the ongoing integration between WhatsApp and Meta’s other platforms, aiming to provide a seamless experience for users.
To use this feature, users must link their WhatsApp account to Meta’s Accounts Center. This integration allows for the sharing of media such as photos, videos, stories, posts, and reels from Instagram and Facebook directly within WhatsApp.
The feature is currently available to a select group of beta testers running the latest WhatsApp beta versions on both Android and iOS. WhatsApp plans to expand access to more users over the coming weeks.
When users open WhatsApp’s media picker, they can switch to the list view to see available media sources on their device. With the new update, Instagram and Facebook appear as additional media sources, allowing users to browse and select content shared on these platforms.
Users can tap the dropdown at the top of the media picker and switch between Instagram and Facebook to browse content. Stories, posts, and reels appear in a grid similar to WhatsApp’s existing media picker, allowing users to scroll through and select recent or older content.
The feature works in both chats and status updates. Users can select Instagram or Facebook media while creating a WhatsApp status update, or directly send Instagram or Facebook content in chats. The same media picker is available in both contexts, making it easy to reuse content from other Meta platforms.
Accounts Center remains optional, and users do not need to connect their WhatsApp account to use the feature. However, linking the accounts is required to access Instagram and Facebook content through WhatsApp. If Accounts Center is not connected, Instagram and Facebook will not appear as media sources in the WhatsApp media picker.
WhatsApp emphasizes that personal messages and calls continue to use end-to-end encryption, regardless of whether users connect their accounts or not. The connection only works in one direction, meaning Instagram and Facebook do not gain access to media stored in WhatsApp because WhatsApp keeps that media on the user’s device.
The feature is currently rolling out to some users running the latest WhatsApp beta updates on Android and iOS. Not every beta tester will receive it immediately, and some users may need to wait for a future update.
