Social Media > WhatsApp 102 102 people found this article helpful What Is WhatsApp? Your guide to one of the most popular messaging apps of all time By Jennifer Allen Jennifer Allen Twitter Writer Swansea University, Staffordshire University Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 25, 2022 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Why Use WhatsApp? Is WhatsApp Safe? Is WhatsApp Free? How Does WhatsApp Work? Can I Use WhatsApp to Make Calls? WhatsApp is the most popular instant messaging app in the world. Used by approximately two billion people, it's simple to understand, entirely free, and offers no limits to how you communicate with people. All you need is a compatible smartphone and a phone number. In this article, you'll learn: Why people use WhatsAppWhy it's considered a safe messaging optionHow much it costsHow it generally works Who Owns WhatsApp? A History of the Most Popular Messaging App in the World Why Should I Use WhatsApp? A big reason for using WhatsApp is because everyone else is already using it, but it's also important to know people use it because it's so convenient. There are many different uses of WhatsApp, but ultimately it works well as an instant messaging app. No matter where you are in the world, you can easily send the equivalent of an SMS message to a friend or family member without worrying about it costing you money, like if they were located in a different country. Only eight participants can be active on a call at one time, but you can create a WhatsApp group with up to 256 participants. Another convenient feature is the fact that you don't need to register for an account. You only need a phone number to get started. There are many other reasons why WhatsApp is so popular, but the most pivotal is that it's easy to use, even if you're not particularly proficient with technology. People of all ages and ability levels can use WhatsApp, just like when sending SMS messages. Is WhatsApp Safe? WhatsApp is a very safe way of messaging. It offers end-to-end encryption between users, so your data is protected while it's sent between you and your contact. Occasionally, there are issues with dangerous malware links being sent to users from unknown sources, but the key to avoid this is to follow regular internet safety tips and to never interact with a link you don't recognize or expect. WhatsApp is part of Facebook, which may cause concerns from some people wary of the social media website, but the service is keen to stress that no information is ever shared with the social network. It's kept entirely separate so your privacy is maintained. Is WhatsApp Free? WhatsApp is entirely free to use. There are no limits to the service so you can message people as many times as you want without being restricted. There are also currently no ads to contend with so you don't have to put up with intrusive messages while conversing with friends and loved ones. The only part of WhatsApp that might not be free is due to your cell phone carrier. There may be fees involved here as WhatsApp uses your data allowance to exchange messages and calls, instead of your SMS allowance. Check your cell phone carrier agreement to see how you may be affected. If you connect your smartphone to a nearby Wi-Fi network, you don't have to worry about data allowance fees. How Does WhatsApp Work? WhatsApp works a lot like iMessage for iOS, but for all smartphone website, and desktop users. It uses your internet connection to allow you to connect to anyone whose phone number is also registered with WhatsApp, without needing to sign in or out of a separate account. You need to download the WhatsApp app to use it (as well as keep it updated), but it integrates into your phone smoothly, and you can easily share links and photos with others through the service. How to Update WhatsApp to the Latest Version on Android or iPhone It's also possible to create group chats so you can organize gatherings with your friends, or simply keep up to date with what your family is doing, all from one centralized source rather than having to use separate apps. All you need is an active internet connection on your smartphone. How to Enable Dark Mode on WhatsApp Can I Use WhatsApp to Make Calls? Yes. WhatsApp offers free video calling and free voice calls. That's a huge help for many as it means both Android and iOS users can make video calls for free without having to register accounts with services such as Skype. It's also possible to make group video calls with WhatsApp so that friends and family groups can converse together for free. And with both video and voice group calls, users can join the call later if they can't answer right away. You can't make calls or send messages to non-WhatsApp users. They need to install WhatsApp first. How to Send Voice Messages on WhatsApp Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit