WhatsApp developers have recognized that the holidays can cause an increased level of stress for their users. The new features that have been announced are, therefore, meant to alleviate typical communication problems that occur frequently in the upcoming holiday season. In addition to optimized call functions, there are other innovations that affect both chats and media management. The company’s official blog post also provided a detailed overview.

A New Way to Deal with Missed Calls

One of the most noticeable additions targeted situations where calls go unanswered — a scenario that occurs quite frequently during the holidays. WhatsApp is expanding its call functions to include a modern replacement of sorts for the classic answering machine. If a voice or video call is unattended, the option to leave a short voice message or video note will appear in the future.

These messages land directly in the respective chat and can be retrieved there without any additional steps. The solution thus dispenses with the detour of classic voicemail systems and integrates the entire process into the familiar chat interface.

Group calls also receive a functional update: the active speaker is automatically highlighted. The aim is to provide clearer orientation, especially when several participants are speaking simultaneously or background noise is present.

AI Functions and Visual Enhancement in Chats

Alongside the call improvements, WhatsApp is expanding the integration of Meta-AI. Users can now access new image models based on Midjourney and Flux, among others. These can be used, for instance, to create individual graphics for chats or statuses — a feature that, according to Meta, is particularly popular during the holidays.

A second new feature concerns the conversion of images into short videos. The function targets users who want to make visual content more dynamic without having to install external apps.

WhatsApp is also making minor but everyday changes to classic text conversations. Link previews now appear in a more compact layout that takes up less space and should improve the reading flow — especially in chats where several preview cards quickly appear one below the other.

Meta will also introduce a new media tab for WhatsApp users on Mac, Windows, or the web. It provides a central overview of shared photos, documents, and links, regardless of the chat in which they were originally sent. This cross-chat consolidation should make work considerably easier, especially for frequent users.

Rollout Does Not Have a Specific Schedule

It still remains unclear when all features will be available across all regions. What is certain, however, is that the new features are intended to simplify communication in WhatsApp during the particularly busy holiday season.