WhatsApp' big update ends iOS-to-Android transfer restrictions and introduces dual accounts for iPhones

WhatsApp has brought a power packed update which has brought a number of highly anticipated features to the app including improved storage management, easier cross-platform transfers, dual accounts on the same device and more.

The company has begun rolling out these features, meaning some of them may already be available on your phone.

Here's a look at all the new features announced by WhatsApp:

Dual accounts on iOS

iPhone users can now log into two separate WhatsApp accounts on a single device simultaneously. Notably, the feature was already available on Android devices and is finally making its way to iOS.

In order to set up a second account, users need to have a separate phone number, and the app currently supports a maximum of two accounts per device. WhatsaApp says users can customize each account independently with unique profile pictures, about fields, notification alerts, and privacy settings.

While the user is handling one of the account, the other account becomes ‘idle’. However, users still receive push notifications for new messages and incoming calls on the idle account but they must switch to that account in order to view the messages. To clearly differentiate between the two acounts, WhatsApp shows the profile picture of the account on the bottom navigation tab.

Cross platform transfer:

WhatsApp is also finally making it easier to transfer chat history between Android and iOS. The new chat transfer feature officially supports migrating complete conversations, photos, and videos directly from iOS to Android. WhatsApp says that the transfer happens over a local Wi-Fi connection, meaning that the data does not go to the cloud.

Here's how you can transfer your chats from iOS to Android:

• Ensure both phones have the latest version of WhatsApp installed and you have same phone number on both devices.
• On your iPhone, open WhatsApp and navigate to Chats > Transfer chat history > Transfer to Android.
• On your new Android device, open WhatsApp and verify your account using the same phone number.
• When prompted, allow the devices to connect. A QR code will display on the Android screen.
• Use your iPhone's camera to scan the QR code.
• Tap Join to connect to the local Wi-Fi network and begin the transfer.
• Once the transfer is completed, tap Next on your Android device to view your chats and start using the app.

Chat-specific storage management

To combat storage clutter, WhatsApp is introducing a more targeted cleanup tool. Users can now tap a specific chat name and select "Manage storage" to locate and delete large files exclusively within that single conversation. WhatsApp also gives user the option to bulk-clear media files from a chat while keeping the actual text history intact.

Meta AI photo editing and writing editor:

The new update integrates Meta AI capabilities directly into the chat interface. WhatsApp now allows users to take advantage of Meta AI to touch up photos before sending them. Users can now remove background distractions, swap in new backgrounds, or apply stylized effects right from WhatsApp using Meta AI.

The AI assitant also now comes with a "Writing Help" tool to analyze the context of your conversation to draft suggested text responses