Meta has officially unveiled a new feature called “third-party chats” for WhatsApp users across the European Union (EU), marking a major step in complying with the region’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The DMA requires major tech platforms—classified as “gatekeepers”—to ensure interoperability, giving users more freedom to communicate across different messaging apps.
With this update, WhatsApp users in Europe will soon be able to chat directly with people using third-party messaging services that meet technical and security standards. Meta confirmed that BirdyChat and Haiket are the first two apps to integrate with WhatsApp under this new system. The company says the launch follows over three years of collaboration with European messaging platforms and the European Commission to build an interoperability framework that maintains strong privacy protections.
Meta revealed that the new feature is built around three core principles:
Protecting user privacy and security:
Third-party apps connecting to WhatsApp must support the same level of end-to-end encryption (E2EE). This ensures the security of messages, media, and files exchanged between users on different apps.
Offering a straightforward user experience:
WhatsApp will provide a clear and simple onboarding process, helping users understand how third-party chats differ from standard WhatsApp conversations.
Availability across the European region:
In line with DMA requirements, the feature will roll out to all eligible users within the EU.
The third-party chat option will be available on both Android and iOS, and European users will receive a notification in the WhatsApp Settings menu once the rollout begins. From there, they can choose to opt in and enable messaging with users on supported third-party apps.
After enabling the feature, users will be able to send text messages, voice notes, images, videos, and files across platforms. Importantly, opting into third-party chats is completely optional, and users can turn the feature on or off at any time.
Meta emphasized that its interoperability solution was designed to maintain WhatsApp’s strong E2EE protections “as far as possible,” ensuring user privacy remains a top priority as cross-platform messaging expands within the EU.