WhatsApp now officially has an app for the Apple Watch. Users can now receive notifications, read full messages, and record and send voice notes directly from their wrist. The app also lets you view your entire chat history — all end-to-end encrypted.

The Apple Watch display has grown larger thanks to slimmer bezels, allowing more text to fit on screen. Until now, Apple Watch owners could only view WhatsApp notifications and respond using quick replies. With a standalone app, the experience is far more immersive. You’ll have a clearer view of images and stickers, as well as access to a longer chat history right on the Apple Watch display.

The app is compatible with any Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 10 or newer. “This new experience will help you stay on top of your chats without needing to pull out your iPhone,” WhatsApp wrote in a blog post. “In addition to reading and responding to messages, for the first time, WhatsApp on Apple Watch will now support many requested features.”

While installing the app from the App Store on Apple Watch, we noticed a few imitators using logos similar to WhatsApp’s. Be cautious about which app you download — always check the developer information listed alongside the app details.

Meta already offers a version of WhatsApp for Wear OS — the Android-based platform that powers smartwatches from Google, Samsung and others. In 2023, Meta discontinued its Apple Watch app for Messenger, and earlier this month, it announced plans to phase out Messenger for macOS as well. At the same time, Meta is expanding WhatsApp’s presence across Apple’s ecosystem to encourage users to choose it over iMessage.

Before this official release, Meta had offered a TestFlight version of the app for early users, hinting that a full-fledged WhatsApp for Apple Watch was on the way.