Short version. As of 25 September 2026, WhatsApp voice and video calls between UAE numbers are connecting without a VPN. We tested it ourselves: voice calls, video calls, all of it. It's a rolling update, so not everyone has it yet. Update WhatsApp and try a call. There is no official announcement from Meta, WhatsApp or TDRA, and UAE news outlets still describe WhatsApp calling as restricted. Calls have unlocked quietly three times before (2018, 2020, 2021) and were blocked again each time. Enjoy it, test it, but don't rebuild your business on it until someone official confirms.
What's happening
Open WhatsApp in the UAE, tap the call icon on a chat with another UAE number, and it rings. Video too. No VPN, no travel eSIM, no workaround. We tried it on 25 September 2026 and calls connected like they would in London or Mumbai. If you've lived here a while, you know how strange that sentence is.
For context: WhatsApp messages, voice notes, photos and files have always worked in the UAE. The thing that's been blocked for years is live voice and video calling, because the UAE only allows VoIP (internet calling) from licensed providers. That's why everyone here has Botim, and why your aunt's WhatsApp video call from abroad used to just spin. For the full background, read is WhatsApp blocked in Dubai.
It's a rolling update. Not everyone has it yet.
This isn't switched on for the whole country at once. It's rolling out bit by bit, the way WhatsApp ships most features. Some people can call right now, some can't yet. Voice calls work, video calls work, all of it works once it reaches you. Slowly, hopefully, everyone gets it.
Do this now: update WhatsApp from the App Store or Play Store, then try a voice or video call to someone in the UAE. If it doesn't connect, don't panic. It hasn't reached you yet. Check for updates again in a day or two and try again.
Did Meta or TDRA announce anything?
No. We checked, as of 25 September 2026:
- Meta / WhatsApp: no post on the WhatsApp blog, Meta newsroom or WhatsApp help centre saying calling is now available in the UAE.
- TDRA (the UAE's telecoms regulator): no statement that the VoIP policy has changed.
- du and e& (Etisalat): no announcement either.
- The press: recent Khaleej Times and Gulf News coverage of WhatsApp's new web calling feature still says calling in the UAE depends on TDRA approval. Most 2026 travel and eSIM guides still say calls are blocked.
So right now it's a silent unlock. It works, but officially nothing has changed. That gap matters, and history explains why.
This has happened before. Three times.
| When | What happened | What officials said |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2018 | WhatsApp voice and video calls suddenly worked for UAE residents after an app update. | The then TRA: "There is no change in the UAE's Voice over Internet Protocol [VoIP] policy." Calls were blocked again. |
| Feb 2020 | Gulf News tested it: calls worked on some Wi-Fi networks, not on mobile data, and quality was patchy. | No change announced. It faded out. |
| Sep 2021 | During Expo 2020 Dubai, WhatsApp calls started connecting for many users. | The UAE's cyber-security head said WhatsApp had been "unlocked for a limited time for test usage" and that lifting the VoIP ban was being worked on. Calls went back to blocked. |
| Sep 2026 | Calls connecting again, no VPN. | Nothing, so far. |
Pattern spotted: it unlocks, everyone gets excited, officials say the policy hasn't changed, and a few weeks later it's gone. Maybe this time is different. 2026 is not 2018, and the UAE has been loosening up on a lot of things. But until TDRA says so in writing, treat it as "working today", not "legal and permanent".
How to check it yourself (no VPN)
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version from the App Store or Play Store.
- Turn off any VPN. Seriously, off.
- Call a contact with a UAE number on mobile data. Then again on home Wi-Fi. In 2020, calls worked on some connections and not others, so test both.
- Try a video call, then a call to an international number.
- Try a group call. If all of these connect, you're in the same boat as us.
If it doesn't connect, it's most likely the rolling update hasn't reached you yet. Keep WhatsApp updated and try again over the next few days.
Please don't use a VPN to force it
If calls don't work on your connection, don't reach for a VPN. Using a VPN to get around blocked services is an offence under UAE cybercrime law, and the fines are not small. Licensed apps are the safe option: Botim, the operator calling apps from du and e&, and work tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. We compared the business side of this in WhatsApp vs Botim for business.
What it means if you run a business
Short version: exciting, not something to bet the company on yet.
- Customers may start calling your WhatsApp number. If your business number is on the WhatsApp Business app, calls will ring on that phone. Decide now who answers, and put your hours in your profile so people aren't calling at midnight.
- If you're on the API, calls behave differently. Numbers on Meta's Cloud API only take calls if calling is switched on and something (a contact centre, softphone or voice agent) is connected to receive them. Meta's WhatsApp Business Calling API has been live since July 2025. Customer-initiated calls are free; business-initiated calls need the customer's permission first and are billed by Meta.
- Keep your phone number button. A plain "call us" button that dials your landline or mobile works on every network, whatever happens to WhatsApp calling next week.
- Messages are still the main event. Order updates, quotes, reminders, broadcasts and support run on WhatsApp messages, which were never blocked. That's where the money is. See how that's set up on the WhatsApp Business API in Dubai page.
- Don't cancel anything yet. If your team relies on Botim or a call centre line, keep it until there's an official change. A silent unlock can close just as silently.
If calling does become officially legal, the upside is big: a call button inside the same chat as the order, callbacks that land in your CRM, and AI voice agents answering in Arabic and English. We'll be setting that up for clients the day it's confirmed.
We'll keep this page updated
We'll update this page when Meta, TDRA, du or e& says anything, or if calls stop connecting. Last checked: 25 September 2026.
Sources: Gulf News, Nov 2018 · Gulf News, Feb 2020 · Khaleej Times, Sep 2021 · Khaleej Times on WhatsApp Web calling.
Want this run for you? Adjoltz sets it up and runs it on Meta's official API, in Arabic and English, with Meta's message fees billed at cost and nothing added. Tell us what you sell and how many people you message, and you get a quote back the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Are WhatsApp calls working in the UAE now?
Yes, as of 25 September 2026 WhatsApp voice and video calls between UAE numbers are connecting without a VPN in our own tests. It is a rolling update, so not everyone has it yet: update WhatsApp and try calling. There has been no official announcement, so it may not be permanent.
Why can my friend make WhatsApp calls in the UAE but I can't?
It's a rolling update, so it reaches people gradually rather than everyone at once. Update WhatsApp from the App Store or Play Store, try a voice or video call, and if it still doesn't connect, check for updates again in a day or two.
Did Meta or TDRA announce that WhatsApp calls are allowed in the UAE?
No. As of 25 September 2026 there is no announcement from Meta, WhatsApp, TDRA, du or e&. Officially the UAE's VoIP policy has not changed.
Is it legal to make WhatsApp calls in the UAE?
Making a call that your network connects without any workaround is different from bypassing a block. Using a VPN to get around blocked services is an offence under UAE cybercrime law, so do not use one. Until TDRA confirms a change, licensed apps like Botim are the safe option.
Have WhatsApp calls worked in the UAE before?
Yes, briefly, in November 2018, February 2020 and September 2021. Each time officials said the VoIP policy had not changed or that it was a test, and calls were blocked again.
Can businesses use WhatsApp calling with customers in the UAE?
Customers can call a WhatsApp Business app number if calls connect on their network. On the API, Meta's Calling API lets customers call you for free and lets you call customers who gave permission. Do not build a process on it until the change is official, and keep a normal phone number button.
