WhatsApp continues to improve its voice messaging experience. The latest iOS update introduced a long-awaited feature: the ability to select the transcription language for each chat individually. However, the release was marred by an annoying bug that prevented links from opening. We explore what’s new, what issues users encountered, and why it’s important to install the latest version of the app.
Table of Contents
New Feature
Previously, the system language was used to transcribe voice messages. If you communicated in multiple languages, you had to constantly go into settings and change the global option—an inconvenience, especially in multilingual conversations.
With the latest update, this has changed. A new section has been added to the chat information screen, allowing you to select your preferred transcription language for each specific conversation.
How it works:
- Open any chat, group, or channel.
- Tap a contact’s name or group name to go to “Chat Information.”
- Find the “Voice Message Transcription” section.
- Select the language most commonly spoken in this chat.
Now, voice message transcription will automatically adapt to the language of the person you’re talking to. This feature is especially useful for those communicating with international partners, friends, or relatives who speak different languages. No more switching global settings—it all works automatically.
An annoying bug
Unfortunately, this update also brought an unpleasant surprise. Many users, after installing the latest version of the app, encountered a problem where clicking a link in a chat, group, or channel didn’t do anything. Tapping the link was simply ignored, making it impossible to navigate to an external website.
This issue affected a large number of users, as evidenced by complaints on social media. The inability to quickly open a link disrupted their normal workflow, preventing access to articles, announcements, documents, and other important materials.
Temporary workarounds:
- Long-pressing on a link would display a context menu where they could select “Open.” This method was available, but not all users were aware of it.
- “Shared Links” section – in the chat details, you could go to “Shared Links” and open the desired link from there. This was also not the fastest solution.
Both methods allowed access to content, but were far from ideal and created additional friction in communication.
What’s fixed in the latest update
The developers responded quickly to the issue, and the link-opening bug has been completely fixed. Now, a simple tap is all it takes to open the link instantly, just like before.
An additional fix is on the way. An update is expected to be released soon that will address another issue: marking voice messages as played. The bug has already been fixed in the beta version on TestFlight and will soon be available in the stable build in the App Store.
Conclusion
The WhatsApp for iOS update brought a useful feature—choosing the transcription language for each chat—but, unfortunately, also introduced a temporary issue with links. The developers quickly released a fix, and everything is now working properly. We recommend all users install the latest version of the app to enjoy the new features without unexpected glitches.
At GREEN-API, we are monitoring the news and will inform you about all significant updates. We are also constantly working on introducing new features to our service to make your experience more convenient. Follow our blog to stay updated on new and useful features in WhatsApp!