WhatsApp Announces Improvements to Audio and Video Calls

WhatsApp on Thursday announced a series of improvements coming soon to its audio and video calling features just in time for the holiday season. According to Meta, users can expect better call quality, as well as some other new features — so read on as we detail what's coming.

New features coming to WhatsApp calling

WhatsApp calling continues to gain popularity around the world, with more than 2 billion calls now made on WhatsApp every day. “With the holiday season just around the corner, we're introducing new calling features on desktop and mobile to make it easier than ever to connect with loved ones,” Meta wrote in a blog post.

First up, WhatsApp will now let users select specific group chat participants to initiate a call with, so you can call specific people without disturbing others. “Perfect for planning surprise parties or gifts,” the company notes. What’s more, Meta is also adding new camera effects for video calls that will make conversations more fun. The new effects include puppy ears, a karaoke microphone, and an underwater filter.

But more important than the new effects is the call quality. Meta says it’s working on improving call quality on desktop so users can more easily start calls from WhatsApp on the computer. For video calls, the company promises a higher-resolution stream for both one-on-one and group calls.

A few days ago, Meta confirmed that WhatsApp would soon stop working on some older iPhones, like the iPhone 5s, as the app will now require iOS 15.1 or later. The platform also recently made voice message transcription available to everyone.

WhatsApp for iPhone and Mac is available for free in the App Store. Make sure you have the latest version of the app to get access to the new features.