WhatsApp improves calling; adds new features

While WhatsApp is best known for bringing private and secure messaging to users across the world, more and more people are using WhatsApp as a way to connect with voice and video calls.

That’s why over the course of this year the Meta-owned messaging app launched several improvements to calling on WhatsApp, for catching up with your loved ones, colleagues and communities securely.

New features for better connecting as a group on calls:

32 person calls: Just like with voice calls, users can now do video calls on your mobile with up to 32 people, four times the number of people than before.

Message or mute call participants: Long pressing on a participant will enlarge the video or audio feed and allow you to either mute or message them separately while keeping the calls going.

Call links: Whether making a last minute call or planning ahead, you can easily invite people to a group call by sharing a call link

Colorful waveforms: Now you can easily see who is speaking if their camera is off

In-call banner notifications: See when someone new joins a group call

Picture in Picture on iOS: Now in beta testing and rolling out in the newyear, easily multitask while on a call thanks to a minimized in-call video screen.

As always, all calls on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted by default to protect people’s privacy and safety.

“We’ll keep making improvements next year as we continue supporting high quality, private calling on WhatsApp wherever you are in the world,” informed WhatsApp.