Apple Watch is a common accessory that all iPhone users carry. But what fun it would be if you didn’t know how to add the top messaging app, WhatsApp, to Apple Watch?
Despite a huge number of Apple Watch users, there is no official WhatsApp application for Apple Watch. You can just receive WhatsApp notifications on your Apple Watch. However, you can send and receive WhatsApp messages with third-party apps like Chatify and WeChat 2, available in Apple Watch Store.
Further in this post, you will learn how you can turn on WhatsApp notifications for your Apple Watch and then how you can send WhatsApp messages with third-party apps.
How To Turn on WhatsApp Notifications for Apple Watch
Even though there is no WhatsApp for Apple Watch, you can still feel connected by just turning on the WhatsApp Notifications for your Apple Watch. This way, you can read the new messages without taking out your phone.
Here’s a step-wise guide to turning on WhatsApp notifications on your Apple Watch.
Step #1: Make Sure Both Devices Are Paired
Ensure that your Apple Watch is paired with your phone to receive message and text notifications.
To pair it up, switch on the watch and bring it closer to the iPhone. A pop-up must appear on the iPhone’s screen. Tap “Pair”. If the pop-up doesn’t appear, manually pair the watch by launching the Apple Watch application. Then, tap “Start Pairing” and scan your watch.
Step #2: Allow Notifications in the iPhone Settings
- Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Go to “Notifications”.
- Scroll down and find “WhatsApp”.
- Turn on “Allow Notifications” by swapping the toggle switch.
- Check mark the boxes for “Lock Screen”, “Notification Center”, and “Banners”.
Step #3: Configure Notification Alerts for Apple Watch
Next, you need to turn on the notification alerts for the Apple Watch.
Go to the Watch app on your iPhone, then select “Notifications”. Scroll down and swipe the toggle next to “WhatsApp”.
Now, you will receive group and individual chats on your Apple Watch. When you reply to these notifications, you get three options.
- Send a pre-installed message (e.g., “Hi” or “OK”).
- Send an audio message with the microphone.
- Manually write the message with your fingers on the watch screen, which translates into text.
The third option to reply is inaccurate as it relies on artificial intelligence to translate your writing into text.
How To Send Messages on WhatsApp via the Apple Watch
With your Apple Watch, you can send pre-installed messages in response to WhatsApp Chat notifications or install third-party apps from the App store to text seamlessly.
Send Pre-Installed Messages
As soon as you turn on the notification setting, you will receive WhatsApp messages on your watch. But you only have the luxury to send some pre-defined text messages like “Hi”, “OK”, “What’s up?” etc. You cannot send a customized message to your friends.
Install Third-Party Apps
If you want to do real chat with your watch, you will need to install third-party apps like Chatify and WeChat 2.
Chatify
Chatify gives you access to all your WhatsApp chats. You can send messages, see pictures, and listen to voice messages from your wrist.
To use Chatify, follow these steps.
- Open the App Store on Apple Watch, and search “Chatify”. Download this app. It costs around $2.99.
- Launch Chatify. The display screen shows you a QR code.
- Open the WhatsApp application on your iPhone. Go to Settings > “WhatsApp Web”> “Scan QR Code”.
- Scan the QR code displayed on your Apple Watch.
Your WhatsApp messages will now be displayed on your Watch, and you can reply to your friends from within the app.
WeChat 2
Like Chatify, WeChat is another popular app to add WhatsApp to your Apple Watch. It is more popular among users and has a rating of 4.5 out of 5.
It has a free version that allows you to see up to 3 recent messages. To see more, get the paid version which costs $2.99.
The integration procedure is very similar to that described in the previous case.
- Open the App Store on Apple Watch. Then, search “WeChat 2” using the small keyboard. Download the app.
- Open WeChat 2, and you will see a QR code on display.
- Find and open WhatsApp on your iPhone. Go to Settings > “WhatsApp Web”> “Scan QR Code”.
- Scan the QR code displayed on your Apple Watch with your camera.
After that, WeChat will show the last three WhatsApp messages. You can see images, reply to texts, and listen to audio messages with your Apple Watch.
Final Words
That’s all about how you can use WhatsApp on your Apple Watch. You can either go with the pre-installed messages or install a third-party app to get more features. Let us know which method you prefer in the comments below.
