WhatsApp is deploying in the Apple Watch an emoji selector with the complete watchOS catalog for reactions to messages, as has emerged in recent hours. Until now, reacting from the watch only allowed you to choose between six emojis fixed, and using any other one forced you to resort to the iPhone. With this update, the app gives access to the entire emoji library right from the wrist, organized by thematic categories.
At the end of last year, WhatsApp launched its full app for Apple Watch, with support for call notifications, voice memos, chat history, and quick reactions. The resulting app allowed, among other things, to listen to voice messages without using the phone, review old conversations or respond with a quick reaction directly from the wrist. It was good news for those who use the watch daily, especially because until then the presence of WhatsApp in watchOS was almost completely limited to system notifications, with hardly any options to interact with conversations without taking out the phone. Even so, those reactions had a clear limitation from day one: you could only choose between six predetermined emojis, and any other required opening the app on the iPhone. For many users, that launch was the sign that WhatsApp was finally taking the Apple Watch seriously, after years with a minimal presence on the watch.
How the new emoji selector works on the Apple Watch
Pressing and holding a message still shows the quick panel with the usual six emojis, but now a button also appears that opens a broader selector. That panel includes recently used emojis and the entire system library, organized in eight categories: Emoticons, Nature, Food, Activities, Travel, Objects, Symbols and Flags.
The design is designed to move well on a small screen. Recent emojis appear at the top of the list, so if you reacted yesterday with a very specific one, there is no need to search through categories to repeat it today. Simply slide across the screen and touch the thematic block of interest to display its content without leaving the conversation. It is a simple change in its approach, but it solves a limitation that the app has had since its launch and that forced you to take out your iPhone for something as simple as choosing an emoji other than the usual six. Before this update, any attempt to respond with an emoji outside of that fixed list crashed into the same solution: putting down the watch and reaching for your phone to complete the reaction. That back and forth disappears with the new selector, which keeps all the interaction within the watch app.
A gradual rollout that may take weeks to reach everyone
The function is now officially underway, although WhatsApp maintains its habit of launching new products in stages. This means that it will not reach all users on the same day: depending on the Apple Watch model, the region or the version of the app installed, it may take time. several weeks to appear on every device.
At the moment, no additional steps are necessary beyond keeping the application updated on both the iPhone and the watch. When the server activates the feature for an account, the new launcher will be displayed without prior configuration. It is an adjustment that seems minor, but it solves an everyday friction: until now, any reaction other than one of the six fixed emojis forced you to interrupt what you were doing to pick up the phone. Those who use the Apple Watch to manage short conversations gain something concrete from this: they will have to resort to the iPhone less often just to complete a reaction.
Frequently asked questions about WhatsApp Apple Watch emojis Yes, WhatsApp is deploying a selector with the complete catalog of watchOS emojis, organized into eight categories.
The function is already in official deployment, but as it is a staggered launch, it may take several weeks to reach all devices.
No. With this update, the full emoji picker is available directly from the Apple Watch screen.
Can I use any emoji to react on WhatsApp from Apple Watch?
When will the new emoji selector reach all users?
Is it still necessary to use the iPhone for custom reactions?
