WhatsApp is quietly reshaping how its 2‑billion‑plus users talk and share links, pairing a long awaited expansion of group calling on the Web with a cleaner, less chaotic preview experience on iOS. The changes are not flashy on the surface, but together they signal a push to make WhatsApp feel more like a full productivity and collaboration hub than a simple chat app. I see a clear throughline: tighter control over calls, more readable conversations, and a design language that keeps pace with rivals without losing WhatsApp’s familiar simplicity.
The new capabilities arrive on two fronts at once. On desktop, WhatsApp is building group voice and video calls directly into Web sessions so people can join meetings from a browser without juggling extra apps or devices. On iPhone, the latest update refines how long URLs and media snippets appear in chats, trimming visual clutter while preserving the rich context that link previews provide.
Group calls come to WhatsApp Web at last
For years, WhatsApp’s Web client has lagged behind its mobile apps, especially for real time communication, and group calls have been one of the most glaring gaps. That is now changing as the company develops full group voice and video support for Web, letting people start and join calls directly from the browser version of WhatsApp Web instead of reaching for their phones. Early descriptions of the feature show a familiar call interface adapted for larger laptop and desktop screens, with controls for muting, video toggles, and participant management built into the Web layout so group chats can escalate into live conversations in a single click.
Behind that simple surface is a strategic shift. By bringing group calling to the Web, WhatsApp is positioning itself as a credible alternative to workplace staples like Zoom and Google Meet for small teams, families, and community groups that already live inside WhatsApp chats. Reporting on the feature notes that the Web client will support both voice and video calls in group threads and that users will be able to manage call notifications so they are not overwhelmed when a conversation goes live. Another detailed look at the roadmap explains that WhatsApp is actively developing group call support for the Web client and that the experience is designed to feel native inside existing group chats on Web, rather than bolted on as a separate meeting tool.
Seamless browser meetings without extra apps
What makes this Web expansion more than a box‑ticking exercise is how it is being framed: group calls that work in a browser without any extra software. Coverage of the feature stresses that users will be able to launch group voice and video sessions from WhatsApp Web and join them using the same interface they already know, avoiding the friction of switching to another conferencing app or installing plugins. One report describes this as “group calls without extra apps,” highlighting that the goal is to let people move from text to live conversation in the same tab, with the Web client handling the heavy lifting in the background.
That focus on simplicity extends to how calls are initiated and scaled. According to early information, WhatsApp is testing group calls with a limited number of participants to ensure stability and quality before expanding the limit, a cautious approach that mirrors how the company has rolled out other infrastructure heavy features. Another analysis notes that the ongoing development of group calling on Web is tied to a broader effort to bring features that already exist on Android and iOS into the browser client, including clearer indicators when a call is about to start so users are not surprised by sudden ringing in large groups.
Smarter controls and notifications for desktop calls
Adding group calls to the Web is only half the story; the other half is giving people enough control so those calls do not become a nuisance. Reporting on the feature explains that WhatsApp is building more granular settings for call alerts on Web, so users can decide which group calls should ring, which should appear as silent notifications, and which should be muted entirely. That level of control matters in large communities where a handful of power users might spin up calls frequently, and it reflects a recognition that desktop users often have WhatsApp open alongside work tools where unexpected audio can be disruptive.
There is also evidence that WhatsApp is experimenting with how people join group calls from Web, including the possibility of joining through invite links that can be shared inside chats or across platforms. One detailed breakdown notes that this long anticipated feature will let users manage the call notifications they receive from WhatsApp Web and hints that invite links could be used to join the call, which would align WhatsApp with how other conferencing tools handle guest access. Another technical overview of the Web rollout notes that the company is actively developing group call support for the browser client and that the feature is part of a broader effort to let people handle more of their communication directly from Web without needing to fall back to their phones.
iOS update 26.1.74 cleans up link previews
While the Web client catches up on calling, the iOS app is getting a quieter but equally meaningful refinement: cleaner link previews that keep long URLs from hijacking the conversation. The latest iPhone release, identified as version 26.1.74, focuses on how shared links appear in chats so that sprawling addresses do not dominate the screen. One early adopter, Umair Babar, highlighted the change by calling out “WhatsApp New Update. Version 26.1.74. – Link previews on WhatsApp are now cleaner,” underscoring that the update is less about new buttons and more about visual polish. The same post emphasizes that the New Update trims how URLs are displayed while preserving the useful preview card.
Official release notes for WhatsApp Messenger on the App Store echo that focus on readability. In the app’s Version History, WhatsApp explains that link previews are now cleaner, with long URLs minimized so they do not disrupt the chat layout. The notes also remind users that they can press and hold on messages to access additional options, a subtle nod to the fact that richer previews and message actions are meant to work together. A more technical breakdown of the iOS release confirms that version 26.1.74, delivered through the App Store, refines how the app fetches a preview from the website so that the card surfaces the most relevant title and image without cluttering the thread.
Why cleaner previews matter in the UX arms race
On the surface, shortening long URLs might sound cosmetic, but in the current messaging landscape it is part of a broader user experience arms race. Competing platforms are also rethinking how links and media appear inside conversations, with one recent analysis of Google’s chat strategy noting that Android’s default messaging app is testing a visual overhaul that changes how hyperlinks and media previews appear within conversation threads. That report, citing Android Central, frames the redesign as part of a UX war, where clarity and legibility are as important as raw feature counts. WhatsApp’s move to streamline link previews fits squarely into that trend, signaling that the company understands how much time users spend scanning, not just sending, messages.
WhatsApp itself has been laying the groundwork for this shift for some time. A recent overview of its holiday feature set noted that link previews had been redesigned so that long URLs are streamlined to avoid disrupting conversations, keeping chats visually clean and easier to follow. That description, which explicitly calls out how Long links are handled, lines up neatly with what users are now seeing in version 26.1.74 on iOS. When I look at these changes together, I see a deliberate attempt to make WhatsApp more comfortable for heavy link sharing, whether that is news articles, Google Docs, or e‑commerce pages, without letting the underlying URLs dominate the conversation.
