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

SentiSense · Published Mar 26, 2026, 5:56 PM ET · Updated May 13, 2026, 1:48 PM ET

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.