The update is being rolled out to all WhatsApp users, making the app free to download from the App Store and accessible to a wider audience.

While this change is expected to have a significant impact outside the U.S., where WhatsApp is widely used, American users may still prefer existing options like Messages and FaceTime.

This rollout allows greater flexibility for iPhone users, reducing their reliance on Apple's native apps for communication.

After setting WhatsApp as the default app, users can still access the standard phone and iMessage apps, but these will no longer be the default options.

Despite the new settings, Siri continues to ignore the standard app preferences, managing messaging across different services based on specific contacts.

The EU Commission's investigation into Apple's practices has prompted these changes, aiming to prevent favoritism towards Apple's pre-installed apps.

Currently, this feature is available to a limited number of users participating in the WhatsApp Beta program, and it is marked as a beta feature that may contain bugs.

This update is part of Apple's broader initiative to let users customize their default apps, moving away from reliance on Apple's built-in services.

The ability to manage default apps was made possible after Apple introduced this functionality in iOS 18.2, released in late 2024.

With this new feature, WhatsApp will automatically launch when users click on phone numbers or call buttons in various applications, such as Contacts and Maps.

WhatsApp has rolled out an update for its iOS app that allows users to set it as the default application for calls and messages, enhancing user flexibility.

Some users remain cautious about switching to WhatsApp for calls and texts due to concerns about internet connectivity.