After nearly ten years of waiting, WhatsApp has finally launched an app for the Apple Watch. This time, it’s not just a notification mirror, it’s the complete WhatsApp experience that actually lets you chat, reply, and even send voice messages directly from your wrist.
“This new experience will help you stay on top of your chats without needing to pull out your iPhone,” WhatsApp wrote in a blog post.
If you own an Apple Watch in Nigeria, this update means you can now keep up with your WhatsApp conversations more easily, especially when your iPhone isn’t in your hand. From responding to chats on the go to hearing voice notes straight from your wrist.
What’s New in the WhatsApp Apple Watch App?
Before now, Apple Watch users could only get basic message notifications from WhatsApp, you’d see who messaged you, but you couldn’t really reply or interact with the chat. That’s finally changing.
Here’s what you can now do with the new WhatsApp app for Apple Watch:
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Read complete WhatsApp messages, not just previews.
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Reply directly from the watch using text or voice input.
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Listen and send voice notes right from your wrist.
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React with emojis to messages, just as you do on your iPhone.
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View images and stickers clearly in chats.
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Receive full call notifications so you know who’s calling before you pick up.
This update brings WhatsApp on the Apple Watch much closer to the full experience iPhone users already enjoy. You can now manage quick conversations during workouts, meetings, or even when your phone is charging across the room.
The company describes the upgrade as ‘just the start’ of a wider plan to enhance the Apple Watch experience.
For people in busy cities like Lagos or Abuja, where holding your phone isn’t always convenient, being able to listen and reply to WhatsApp messages through your Apple Watch makes communication smoother.
Supported Models: Not Every Apple Watch Gets It
Before rushing to check your Watch, note that not all Apple Watch models are eligible for this new WhatsApp app.
To use the app, you’ll need:
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Apple Watch Series 4 or newer
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watchOS 10 or later
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An iPhone with WhatsApp installed and linked
This means older models like the Series 3 and below won’t support it. The app isn’t fully independent yet; it still needs your iPhone nearby to send or receive messages.
So, if your phone falls between the iPhone 13 to iPhone 17 series and you use a recent Apple Watch, you’re in luck. The new WhatsApp Apple Watch app should work smoothly for you.
For years, Apple Watch owners using WhatsApp had to settle for seeing message alerts with no real interaction. It was frustrating, you’d get a ping, look at your wrist, and still have to pull out your iPhone to respond.
Now, you can:
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Reply instantly without touching your phone.
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Send quick voice messages during traffic or workouts.
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Check who’s calling on WhatsApp from your wrist before deciding to answer.
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React or reply fast to group chats without scrolling through your iPhone screen.
It’s a small change in theory, but in everyday use, it makes WhatsApp far more flexible for people who rely on it and are constantly on the move, from braving traffic and errands to multitasking while at work. If I could reply texts on my wrists, maybe I’d have less unread texts.
How to Install the WhatsApp Apple Watch App
You will need the full WhatsApp installed and on your iPhone first, before you can add it to your Watch. If you’re ready to try it out, here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to get the WhatsApp Apple Watch app:
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Update WhatsApp to the latest version on your iPhone.
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Make sure your Apple Watch is running watchOS 10 or newer.
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On your iPhone, open the Watch app.
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Scroll to Available Apps and tap Install WhatsApp.
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Once installed, open WhatsApp on your Watch to link it to your phone.
If you can’t find WhatsApp under Available Apps yet, don’t worry, the rollout is still in progress globally. Nigerian users should start seeing it within days, depending on App Store region settings.
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If you own an Apple Watch Series 4 or newer, check for the update and give it a try. It might just become one of the most useful additions to your wrist this year.
