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Meta is getting ready to launch third-party chat integration on WhatsApp in Europe, the company announced<\/a> on Friday. The tech giant notes that the EU\u2019s Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires it to give users in Europe the option to chat with people using third-party messaging services that have chosen to make their apps interoperable.<\/p>\n \u201cFollowing successful small-scale tests over the past months, the option for WhatsApp users to chat with users of messaging apps BirdyChat<\/a> and Haiket<\/a> directly via third-party chats will soon be rolling out across Europe,\u201d Meta wrote in a blog post<\/a>. \u201cThis marks a significant milestone in Meta\u2019s compliance with the EU\u2019s Digital Markets Act (DMA) interoperability requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n Users in Europe who have opted in to the third-party integration will be able to share messages,\u00a0images,\u00a0voice\u00a0messages,\u00a0videos,\u00a0and\u00a0files. The option to create groups with third-party users will launch once Meta\u2019s partners are ready to support it, the company says.<\/p>\n Over the coming months, users in the European Region will begin seeing a notification in the \u201cSettings\u201d tab that will explain the process of opting in to connect with people on third-party apps. Third-party integrations will only work on Android and iOS, not on desktops, web, or tablets.<\/p>\n Of course, connecting with people on other messaging apps is optional, and users can turn third-party chats on or off at any time.<\/p>\n Meta says its partnerships with BirdyChat and Haiket are the result of a three-year collaboration with the European messaging services and the European Commission to develop a third-party chat solution that complies with DMA requirements. <\/p>\n Additionally, the company notes that third-party messaging must\u00a0use\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0level\u00a0of\u00a0end-to-end encryption\u00a0as\u00a0WhatsApp. Meta also says it has ensured that users will understand the differences between chats on WhatsApp and third-party chats.<\/p>\n Back in September 2024, Meta shared what third-party chats on WhatsApp<\/a> will look like, noting that users will be able to set up a designated folder for third-party messages or opt for a combined inbox. The company also said at the time that it would notify users each time a new third-party messaging app became available. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n