WhatsApp Updates With Multiple Accounts, AI Photo Editing and Cross-Platform Transfers

WhatsApp is launching new updates to its messaging platform, focusing on user experience and storage management. The new features include the option to have two accounts on a single iOS device, improved storage controls, and easier cross-platform chat transfers.

META's WhatsApp announced a major feature rollout on March 26, bringing dual-account support to iOS for the first time, AI-powered photo editing tools, and cross-platform chat transfers . iPhone users can now run two separate WhatsApp accounts simultaneously, a capability Android has supported for years, with a profile picture indicator in the tab bar to prevent accidental messages from the wrong account . The update also introduces Meta AI integration for photo touch-ups directly within chats, letting users remove distractions, swap backgrounds, or apply creative styles before sending .

The cross-platform chat transfer feature now supports full migration from iOS to Android and vice versa, including photos and videos, addressing a longstanding pain point for users switching ecosystems . WhatsApp also refined its storage management tools, allowing users to delete large files within individual chats rather than clearing entire conversations. Perhaps most controversially, the update includes AI-drafted reply suggestions, which one critic described as joining "the appalling trend for AI-written replies to messages" .

For META, these updates represent continued investment in WhatsApp's feature parity across platforms and deeper integration of Meta AI into its messaging ecosystem. The dual-account feature could strengthen WhatsApp's position in markets where users commonly juggle personal and business communications on a single device. The AI features, while potentially divisive, align with Meta's broader strategy of embedding AI across its family of apps.