WhatsApp Launches Smart Text Recognition Feature

In depth

Until now, anyone who received an address for a meeting, a date for an event or a phone number in a WhatsApp group or private message had to copy the text and paste it into another app. WhatsApp is beginning to roll out a feature that eliminates the need to do so.

The feature automatically detects phone numbers, dates, addresses and emails within chats and marks them with a dotted line. Tapping the marking allows users to save a contact, open a map, dial or add an event to a calendar.

Processing takes place entirely on the device, without compromising the encryption of chats, Meta said. The feature is being rolled out to Android and iOS devices.