WhatsApp is testing a new feature that will allow users to view photos, videos, and Reels from their Instagram and Facebook accounts directly within WhatsApp and share them in chats. Here are the details on how this new feature will work.
Meta is gradually enhancing interoperability between its apps, and its instant messaging platform, WhatsApp, has recently introduced a new cross-platform feature. According to a report, WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that allows users to view photos, videos, stories, posts, and Reels from their Instagram and Facebook accounts directly within WhatsApp and share them in chats. This eliminates the need to switch between different apps, as everything can be handled within WhatsApp itself.
According to WABetaInfo, a website that tracks new WhatsApp features, users can now access media directly from their Instagram and Facebook accounts via WhatsApp’s media picker. This feature is currently available to select beta testers using the latest versions of WhatsApp on Android and iOS. Meta is gradually rolling out this feature to everyone, though no specific date has been announced for when it will reach all users.
WhatsApp Access to Instagram and Facebook media
This feature appears within WhatsApp’s existing media picker.
With this new feature, you can select content previously shared on Instagram and Facebook without opening those apps. This includes stories, posts, and Reels. The selected content can be shared in WhatsApp chats or used when creating a WhatsApp Status.
When users switch to the list view, Instagram and Facebook will appear as additional media sources. A dropdown menu allows users to select either platform and browse content available from their linked accounts. This will be beneficial for users who regularly post the same content across different Meta platforms. Instead of downloading Instagram and Facebook posts to re-upload them to WhatsApp, users can select content directly from the WhatsApp media picker.
However, there is a key requirement.
To use this feature, users must connect their WhatsApp account to Meta’s Accounts Center. Using the Accounts Center is optional; therefore, users who do not wish to link their WhatsApp account with their other Meta accounts can continue using WhatsApp independently. The instant messaging app had previously begun integrating the Accounts Center to offer cross-platform features, such as the ability to share WhatsApp Status updates to Instagram Stories and Facebook. The latest update takes this integration a step further, allowing users to bring their Instagram and Facebook media into WhatsApp.
There is also an important point regarding privacy: this integration works in only one direction. Linked Instagram and Facebook accounts can send media to WhatsApp, but they do not gain access to media saved within WhatsApp. According to reports, linking WhatsApp to the Accounts Center does not compromise the end-to-end encryption of personal messages and calls. Currently, the feature is being rolled out gradually to beta users, so it may not appear immediately on all Android or iPhone devices. WhatsApp has not yet confirmed when it will be available to everyone.
