Meta is preparing to start integrating third-party chats into WhatsApp in Europe, the company announced on Friday. The tech giant points out that the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires it to offer European users the option to chat with people using third-party messaging services that choose to make their apps interoperable.
“Following successful small-scale testing over the past few months, the option for WhatsApp users to chat directly with users of messaging apps BirdyChat and Haiket via third-party chat will soon be rolled out across Europe,” Mehta said in a blog post. “This is an important milestone in Meta’s compliance with the interoperability requirements of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).”
European users who choose third-party integration will be able to share messages, images, audio messages, videos, and files. The option to create groups with third-party users will launch as soon as Meta’s partners are ready to support it, the company said.
In the coming months, users in Europe will receive a notification in the Settings tab that explains the opt-in process for connecting with users in third-party apps. Third-party integrations only work on Android and iOS, not on desktop, web, or tablets.
Of course, connecting with other users on other messaging apps is optional, and users can turn third-party chats on or off at any time.
According to Meta, the partnership with BirdyChat and Haiket is the result of three years of cooperation with European messaging services and the European Commission to develop third-party chat solutions that comply with DMA requirements.
Additionally, the company notes that third-party messaging must use the same level of end-to-end encryption as WhatsApp. Meta also said it has made sure users understand the difference between chats on WhatsApp and third-party chats.
Back in September 2024, Meta shared what third-party chats on WhatsApp would look like, saying that users would be able to set a designated folder for third-party messages and choose a unified inbox. The company also said at the time that it would notify users whenever a new third-party messaging app became available.
