WhatsApp wants to make Meta AI a lot more useful on the iPhone. To that end, Meta is working on a new feature that allows users to upload documents and get AI-powered summaries and answers right in WhatsApp.
For iPhone users, this sounds like a meaningful upgrade. Instead of switching between apps to analyze PDFs, notes, presentations or spreadsheets, users will be able to hand files directly to Meta AI without relying on another chatbot.
WhatsApp will let iPhone users share documents with Meta AI
Many of WhatsApp’s 2 billion users might not download a separate app simply to ask AI questions about a document. What they might do instead is tap the document button they already know — and that’s the advantage Meta is pressing here. Adding document analysis within WhatsApp will remove friction and give Meta a reason to keep users in its ecosystem.
WABetaInfo, which tracks unreleased WhatsApp features, flagged this new functionality Tuesday after spotting it in the latest TestFlight build of the messaging app. The new option appears in the same attachment menu you use to send photos or videos.
The feature first appeared on Android, and now it looks like the iOS version will finally catch up. Right now, the feature is available only to a handful of beta testers, but a wider rollout is expected in the coming weeks.
Meta hasn’t said anything about file size limits, what types of documents the feature will support, or how files will be handled once the AI analyzes them. While WhatsApp interactions are end-to-end encrypted, any file shared with Meta AI could be processed by Meta’s systems. That said, more details might emerge before WhatsApp brings the feature to all iPhone users.
In typical Meta fashion, the company seems determined to make Meta AI impossible to ignore in WhatsApp. Document analysis won’t win over everyone, but it sounds like a very useful addition that might change people’s perception of Meta AI.
Anurag Chawake is a tech-focused writer specializing in smartphones, apps and consumer technology. His interest in computers began during the Windows 98 era, eventually leading him to explore everything from operating systems to mobile devices and PC hardware. Anurag previously contributed to The Indian Express, covering Apple, Android, gaming and the broader technology landscape.
