The WhatsApp in-app browser in development for iPhone will open any link from a chat without leaving the app. Today, tapping most links in a conversation sends you out to Safari or whichever browser you set as your default. The new browser would keep you in the chat instead.
The feature turned up in WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.41.10.72, according to WABetaInfo. Beta testers on TestFlight cannot use it yet, since the code is still in development.
The In-App Browser Would Get Its Own Switch in WhatsApp Settings
The switch will sit in the app settings under a new option called In-app browser, in the same area WhatsApp is redesigning on iPhone. The first time you turn it on, WhatsApp shows a bottom sheet explaining that links will now open inside WhatsApp instead of your default browser. You can restore the default whenever you want.
A three-dot menu inside the browser lets you open the current link in your default browser instead. That covers the odd page you would rather read in Safari or Chrome, without turning the feature off.
WhatsApp started opening some business links inside the app on iPhone with WhatsApp beta for iOS 25.14.10.72 in 2025. That version only covered links from businesses that met technical requirements, such as a site using HTTPS. Most links shared in everyday chats did not qualify.
The new in-app browser removes that limit, so any link you send or receive in a conversation can open inside WhatsApp, whether it comes from a business or a friend. The browsing session stays separate from the chat, so reading a page does not touch the conversation behind it. If you share a lot of articles and product pages, you stop bouncing between WhatsApp and your browser for every link.
The browser settings screen will include a section for managing data, where you will be able to clear the cookies and cache from sites you visited through WhatsApp. WABetaInfo says WhatsApp stores this browsing data locally on the device, the same way Safari does.
The in-app browser is not ready for release on iOS yet. WhatsApp will make it available to some beta testers in a future update, and the company has not said when it will reach the public. WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.41.10.72 is the only build where the feature has surfaced so far.
