Meta has officially released a native WhatsApp app for iPad, delivering a long-awaited experience to tablet users over 15 years after both the messaging platform and the iPad debuted.
Now available for download on the App Store, the iPad app brings many of the familiar features from the iPhone version—including audio and video calls with up to 32 participants, support for both front and rear cameras, and screen sharing.
Optimized for iPadOS, the app supports Stage Manager, Split View, and Slide Over, enabling users to multitask efficiently. This allows for seamless interaction between WhatsApp and other apps, such as browsing the web or watching videos, without having to switch screens constantly.
Taking full advantage of the iPad’s larger display, the app offers a practical and user-friendly interface—something that would have been especially appreciated during lockdown-era virtual gatherings and quizzes.
Before this release, iPad users were limited to accessing WhatsApp via web browsers or desktop apps for Mac and PC. Back in 2022, WhatsApp head Will Cathcart acknowledged the high demand for an iPad-native version, stating that Meta would “love” to create one.
Earlier this week, WhatsApp teased the release on X (formerly Twitter) with a subtle eyes emoji, but the launch itself came as a quiet surprise, with no formal announcement—unlike the much-rumored Instagram for iPad, which many hope is next on Meta's agenda.
The iPad version of WhatsApp introduces a two-column layout, similar to Apple’s Messages app, showing your chat list on the left and the selected conversation on the right. While the latest app update (version 25.16.81) doesn’t explicitly reference iPad support in its release notes, it enables full-screen functionality across all major iPad models, including the iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
Meta has also published a blog post highlighting the release and detailing its features.