Why is WhatsApp underlining phone numbers, dates and addresses in your chats — and what happens when you tap one?

WhatsApp is gradually rolling out Smart Text Actions on Android and iOS: phone numbers, dates, times, email addresses and street addresses in chats get a dotted underline, and tapping one opens shortcuts to call, save as a contact, add to your calendar or open directions. Detection is reported to run on your phone itself, so end-to-end encryption is not affected.

A friend texts you a restaurant address and a time to meet, and you end up copy-pasting three different pieces of the same message just to save it all. Short answer: WhatsApp is rolling out a feature called Smart Text Actions. When a phone number, date, time, email address or street address appears in a chat — in messages sent to you and ones you send — the app puts a dotted underline under it.

Tap that underline and a small popup opens with shortcuts for that exact item, so you can call it, save it or get directions in one tap. Why it matters: The detection is reported to happen on your phone itself, using pattern-matching, not on WhatsApp’s servers — so your end-to-end encryption is not affected. The feature is arriving gradually on Android and iOS for select users running the latest app versions, and WhatsApp has not officially announced it yet, which is why a friend may already have it while you do not.

What tapping each underline gives you:1. A phone number: copy it, save it as a new contact, or call it through your carrier. If it is a business number, you may also be able to view the business’s details.2.

A date or time: copy it, add it to your phone’s calendar, or turn it into an event inside WhatsApp.3. A street address: copy it, or open it in your maps app and start directions.4. An email address: copy it, or open it straight in your mail app to start a message.5.

No underlines yet? Update WhatsApp to the latest version and wait — the feature switches on account by account, and updating is the only step you can take.Pro tip: Tap the underline instead of doing the old long-press copy-paste dance — but before you save a calendar event, double-check the date and time WhatsApp guessed. It reads the message, not your mind.Ad’s take: This is my favorite kind of update — small, quiet, and saving you a little time every single day.

If you hate copy-paste as much as I do, this one was made for you.