WhatsApp gains support for one of iOS 15's most controversial features

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Ios 15 Focus Hero
Ios 15 Focus Hero (Image credit: Christine Romero-Chan / iMore)

What you need to know

  • WhatsApp has been updated to add support for iOS 15's Focus mode.
  • New support for the ability to pause voice message recording has been added.
  • The features will be rolling out "over the coming weeks."

One of the most popular messaging apps on the iPhone has received a new update, with WhatsApp version 22.2.75 now available for download from the App Store. The new update adds support for new features, although the release notes do claim they will roll out "over the coming weeks." That means you might need a switch to be flicked on your account before you see them.

The top feature is undoubtedly the addition of support for the iOS 15 Focus mode that has garnered so much attention in recent months. With iOS 15 installed and the new WhatsApp, people will be able to also see group and profile photos alongside notifications, too. The addition of Focus mode support will mean that people can poke through your do-not-disturb wall of silence when needed, for example. The whole Focus mode system is controversial in the way it is much loved by some but generally ignored by others. Many argue it's overly complicated, too.

This latest WhatsApp update also adds support for pausing and then resuming the recording of voice messages. That will be a big deal for people who leave long messages for friends and family and is a welcome addition.

  • You can now pause and resume while recording voice messages. Try it out by swiping up to lock a recording, and then tap the "pause" and "resume" buttons.
  • Updated iOS 15 notifications include support for Focus mode and displaying group and profile photos alongside notifications.

These features will roll out over the coming weeks. Thanks for using WhatsApp!

Those with WhatsApp installed will be able to download this update now, while everyone else can go and grab it from the App Store. WhatsApp is free and is one of the best iPhone apps at what it does.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.