WhatsApp, launched in 2009 by Jan Koum and Brian Acton, is a free instant messaging and video - calling application. In 2014, it was acquired by Facebook (now Meta) for $19 billion. As of 2025, it has over 2.5 billion monthly active users, covering more than 180 countries and regions and supporting over 60 languages. It is one of the most widely used communication apps globally.
Core Features
- Instant Messaging：Supports one - on - one and group chats with text, emojis, GIFs, and voice messages, enabling users to communicate quickly.
- Multimedia Sharing：Allows users to send photos, videos, documents (such as PDFs and e - books), audio files, etc., with a file size limit of up to 2GB. It also supports sharing location information.
- Voice and Video Calls：Supports one - on - one and group calls (up to 8 people), with optimized call quality to adapt to different network environments for more intuitive communication.
- Status Updates：Similar to the "stories" feature on social media, users can post photos, videos, or text that will automatically disappear after 24 hours.
- Group Chats：Users can create groups, with a normal group supporting up to 200 members and super - groups supporting up to 2000 members. There are group management tools such as muting all members, pushing announcements, and group voting.
- End - to - End Encryption：Since 2016, it has adopted end - to - end encryption technology, ensuring that only the sender and receiver can decrypt messages, calls, and file transfers. Third parties (including the platform itself) cannot access the content.
- Multi - Device Synchronization：The "WhatsApp Web" and desktop versions extend the usage scenarios on computers. It supports up to 4 devices to be online simultaneously, with real - time message synchronization.
- Offline Messages：Users can compose messages offline, and they will be sent automatically once the device is back online.
Advantages
- Secure and Reliable：End - to - end encryption protects communication privacy, and there are also features such as automatic encrypted backups, message self - destruction, and two - step verification.
- Free of Charge：As long as there is an internet connection, users can send text, voice, pictures, videos, and files for free, avoiding the costs of traditional SMS and phone calls.
- Cross - platform Support：It is compatible with iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, etc., as well as the web version, allowing users to switch seamlessly between different devices.
- Lightweight and Efficient：It consumes low traffic and can send messages stably in weak network environments. The optimized data compression technology increases the file transfer size limit to 2GB.
- Large User Base：With over 2.5 billion monthly active users globally, it is easy to stay in touch with people around the world.
- Ad - Free：There are no ads at all, providing a clean and simple communication environment.
Application Scenarios
- Personal Communication：Share daily life, organize gatherings, and keep in touch with family and friends.
- Business Communication
- Customer Service：Enterprises can communicate with customers by sending personalized messages, such as confirming orders, notifying logistics information, and answering inquiries, to improve customer satisfaction.
- Marketing Promotion：After obtaining user consent, enterprises can push new product information, promotional activities, etc. They can also use group and broadcast functions to expand publicity.
- Team Collaboration：Create work groups for members to communicate, share files, and collaborate.
- Community Operation：Suitable for interest communities, study groups, event organizations, etc., to promote member interaction and information sharing.
- Security Verification：Enterprises can use it as a verification channel to send verification codes for user identity verification, with low cost and no influence from local operator infrastructure.
Supported Platforms
- Smartphones：Available for download on the Apple App Store for iOS, Google Play Store for Android, Microsoft Store for Windows Phone, and KaiStore for KaiOS.
- Computers：Windows and Mac users can download the desktop version from the official website. They can also access the web version (web.whatsapp.com) through a browser and log in by scanning the QR code on their mobile phones.