WhatsApp on April 23 announced a new prepaid mobile recharge feature for users in India, allowing them to recharge mobile numbers directly within the app. The feature is powered by PayU and is rolling out on Android and iOS, with availability expanding to all users over the coming weeks.

The feature lets users recharge their own mobile number or that of friends and family members without leaving WhatsApp. Users with prepaid connections on Jio, Airtel and Vi can browse available plans and complete the recharge inside the app. This reduces the hassle of switching between multiple apps or websites, making the process faster and more convenient.

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WhatsApp now includes a rupee (₹) icon on the home screen to make the payments section easier to find. The icon is meant to serve as a familiar entry point for UPI payments on WhatsApp, mobile recharges, and metro services that support ticketing through the app.

Users can also tap the ₹ icon within one-to-one chat threads while messaging friends, family members and others to send payments using UPI.

Ravi Garg, Director, Business Messaging at Meta India, said, "By bringing recharges directly into WhatsApp, we are making it easier for people to stay connected without having to juggle between multiple apps."

Steps to access and use the recharge feature

To use the feature, users need to tap the ₹ icon and select "Mobile Prepaid Recharge". They can then choose the number to be recharged, whether their own or that of a family member or friend, confirm the operator, and select a plan based on the mobile network.

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After selecting a plan, users can complete the transaction by choosing a payment mode, including UPI, debit card or credit card, and then confirming the payment.

The launch adds to the services already available on WhatsApp in India. The app is already used for conversations, business interactions, payments, booking metro tickets in cities, paying bills, and accessing citizen services through government chatbots, all within the chat interface. With prepaid mobile recharges now added, WhatsApp has expanded its existing payments and utility offerings further.