WhatsApp has begun rolling out third‑party chat integration across the European Union, allowing users to send and receive messages from other messaging apps directly inside WhatsApp as part of Meta’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
WhatsApp opens its doors to rival apps
Meta has confirmed that WhatsApp users in the European Region will now see a new option for third‑party chats, enabling communication with people on other messaging services without leaving the WhatsApp interface. The feature is initially focused on basic one‑to‑one messaging but already supports text, images, voice messages, videos, and file sharing between WhatsApp and participating apps.
For now, two smaller platforms — BirdyChat and Haiket — are the first third‑party services to plug into WhatsApp’s network under the new interoperability framework. Meta says these apps effectively serve as real‑world testbeds as it refines the system before opening up to larger, mainstream messaging competitors in the future.
A direct response to the EU’s Digital Markets Act
The launch is a direct result of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, a sweeping competition law that forces so‑called “gatekeeper” platforms like WhatsApp to open up certain core services to rivals. Under Article 7 of the DMA, designated messaging services must offer interoperability so users can exchange messages, images, voice notes, videos, and files across different apps if both sides opt in.
Meta has spent more than three years working with European regulators and third‑party providers to design an interoperability model that satisfies the DMA while preserving WhatsApp’s security architecture. WhatsApp is one of the first major global messengers to implement such a regime at scale, marking a significant shift in how closed messaging ecosystems in Europe will be expected to operate.
How the new third‑party chats work
Once the rollout reaches a user in Europe, WhatsApp will surface an in‑app notification and a dedicated section in Settings explaining what third‑party chats are and how to turn them on. When activated, a new “Third‑party chats” section appears in the chat list, clearly separating conversations with external apps from standard WhatsApp‑to‑WhatsApp threads.
At launch, interoperability covers one‑to‑one conversations, with users able to exchange messages and attachments with contacts using approved third‑party apps like BirdyChat and Haiket. Meta has indicated that support for group chats and, later, calling functionalities will be introduced in subsequent phases as required by the DMA’s staged timeline.
Opt‑in by design, not automatic
Crucially, Meta stresses that third‑party integration is entirely optional for WhatsApp users in Europe. The feature is disabled by default, meaning people must explicitly opt in before any cross‑app communication is enabled, a design choice that addresses both privacy concerns and “reachability” debates raised during the DMA consultation.
Users can also switch the feature off at any time, which immediately halts new third‑party messages and restores WhatsApp to a closed environment. Meta’s onboarding flow is designed to clearly explain the differences between regular WhatsApp chats and third‑party conversations, including who is responsible for data handling on the external side.
Security and encryption under the new model
One of the biggest technical challenges has been maintaining WhatsApp’s end‑to‑end encryption while allowing external services to plug in. Meta says third‑party apps will only be allowed to interoperate if they can match WhatsApp’s level of end‑to‑end encryption and comply with a detailed technical “Reference Offer” that sets out protocol and security requirements.
While WhatsApp continues to use its Signal‑based encryption protocol, third‑party services may rely on compatible implementations as long as they achieve equivalent cryptographic guarantees. Meta has also warned that, because it cannot fully control external services, users will see clear warnings that privacy guarantees in third‑party chats may differ from standard WhatsApp conversations, even though messages remain end‑to‑end encrypted in transit.
What third‑party developers need to do
For rival messaging apps, joining WhatsApp’s interoperability ecosystem is not automatic. Providers must operate a messaging service for end users in Europe and then formally opt in by accepting Meta’s reference offer, which codifies technical, security, and data‑protection obligations aligned with the DMA.
Once accepted, Meta has a defined implementation timeline — typically a few months — to complete the technical integration, although real‑world availability to end users can lag beyond that window. This framework is designed to ensure that only serious, compliant providers gain access to WhatsApp’s vast user base, supporting the DMA’s goal of fair competition without compromising user safety.
A potential shift in Europe’s messaging landscape
The move could significantly reshape Europe’s messaging market by lowering the friction of switching between apps. In theory, users may no longer feel locked into a dominant platform purely because that’s where their contacts are, as they can remain on their preferred app while still reaching friends and family on WhatsApp.
However, the initial rollout with smaller partners like BirdyChat and Haiket shows Meta is proceeding cautiously, using limited‑scale integrations to validate security and user‑experience details before accommodating heavyweight competitors. Over time, as more apps come on board and group and calling interoperability are activated, the EU’s experiment with mandated messaging openness will become a key test of whether regulation can meaningfully loosen Big Tech’s grip without breaking the services people rely on every day.
