Meta is getting ready to launch third-party chat integration on WhatsApp in Europe, the company said was announced on Friday. The tech giant notes that the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires it to give users in Europe the option to chat with people using third-party messaging services that have chosen to make their apps interoperable.
“After successful small-scale testing over the past few months, the option for WhatsApp users to chat with messaging app users BirdyChat and Haykett directly via third-party chats will be rolling out across Europe soon,” wrote Meta in one blog post. “This marks an important milestone in Meta’s compliance with the interoperability requirements of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA).”
Users in Europe who have opted in to third-party integration will be able to share messages, images, voicemails, videos and files. The option to create groups with third-party users will launch once Meta’s partners are ready to support it, the company says.
In the coming months, users in the European Region will start seeing a notification in the Settings tab explaining the process of choosing to connect with people in third-party apps. Third-party integrations will only work on Android and iOS, not on desktop, web, or tablets.
Of course, connecting with people on other messaging apps is optional, and users can turn third-party chats on or off at any time.
Meta says its partnerships with BirdyChat and Haiket are the result of a three-year collaboration with European messaging services and the European Commission to develop a third-party chat solution that complies with DMA requirements.
In addition, the company notes that third-party messages must use the same level of end-to-end encryption as WhatsApp. Meta also says it has made sure users understand the differences between WhatsApp chats and third-party chats.
In September 2024, Meta shared what third-party chats will look like on WhatsApp, noting that users will be able to create a designated folder for third-party messages or choose a combined inbox. The company also said at the time that it would notify users whenever a new third-party messaging app became available.
