Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that will allow users to add music to their Status updates. The update is being introduced gradually and is expected to be available to users worldwide in the coming weeks.
WhatsApp Status, similar to Instagram Stories and Snapchat features, enables users to share images and short clips that disappear after a set period. The feature is displayed on a user’s profile picture, which can be tapped to view the update.
How WhatsApp Status with music works
WhatsApp has confirmed that the new feature will provide access to a vast library of songs, allowing users to add music to their Status updates with ease. When creating a new Status, a music note icon will appear at the top of the screen. Tapping on it will present a range of songs that can be selected and added to the update.
Users will have the option to choose a short segment of the selected track. For photo-based Status updates, the music clip will last up to 15 seconds, whereas video-based updates will support music clips of up to 60 seconds.
WhatsApp can now be set as default messaging app on iPhones
In other news, WhatsApp users on iPhones can now set the app as their default choice for messaging and calls, following the latest update to version 25.8.74.
The change, first noted by WABetaInfo, allows the Meta-owned messaging service to appear in the default app selection menu within iOS settings.
Reportedly, Apple introduced the ability to choose preferred default apps with the rollout of iOS 18.2. Initially, the feature was expected to be restricted to users in the European Union, but it has since been made available globally. This development marks a significant shift in Apple’s traditionally closed ecosystem, offering users greater flexibility in how they communicate.
Once WhatsApp is set as the default for Messaging and/or Calling, the iPhone will automatically launch the app when users initiate a call or send a message, bypassing Apple’s built-in Messages and Phone/FaceTime apps. For instance, tapping the message or call button within a contact’s card in the iPhone’s Contacts app will now direct users straight to WhatsApp instead of the default Apple applications.
