What to use instead of WhatsApp: moving to Solovo without rushing

If you are looking for a WhatsApp alternative, you do not have to abandon the app you are used to in a single day. Leave the old conversations where they are, pick one living conversation and try continuing it in Solovo. That way you test a new messenger on real tasks without losing touch with the people who are still on WhatsApp.

Solovo is built for talking to family, friends and small teams. It has private and group chats, voice and video messages, photos, files, audio and video calls. You can start on a phone or in a browser after signing in with your number.

In short:

• WhatsApp can stay for the old history and the contacts who are not ready to move yet.
• Telegram, Signal, Viber and MAX solve different problems; choose based on your group's habits.
• Solovo is a convenient place to test the new format on one conversation, a family group or a small shared project.
• WhatsApp history is not imported automatically: a trial move means a new chat with the same people.

Why people look for a second messenger

The reason is not always dissatisfaction with WhatsApp. Sometimes you want to separate family and work conversations, try a different approach to privacy, get convenient access from a computer or gather the people close to you in a space of their own. Different families and teams have different priorities, so there is no single universal answer.

Make a short list of what you use every day: private messages, groups, voice messages, video calls, photos, documents, reactions and browser access. Then test those actions together with one other person. A real conversation says more about convenience than a long feature comparison.

What the options are

Telegram suits people who value cloud sync across devices, large groups, channels, files and calls. Ordinary cloud chats and secret chats work differently there, so it is worth reading up on the privacy settings in advance.

Signal focuses on private and group messages and calls with end-to-end encryption by default. Viber combines chats with groups, communities and channels. MAX offers messaging, audio and video messages, file sharing, calls and a web version. Every service has its own feature set and its own audience; a sensible choice starts with the people you want to stay in touch with.

Start with one chat

A big migration is rarely needed at the start. Pick someone you talk to almost every day, or a small group with a clear purpose: family plans, meeting friends, a trip, studying or a shared project. Create the same conversation in Solovo and agree to answer each other here for a few days.

In that time you will get to check messages, notifications, photos, voice messages, files and a call. WhatsApp keeps storing your previous conversation, so you can go back to old messages exactly as before. If the new chat suits everyone, move the next conversation the same way.

What Solovo already has

We kept the basic actions familiar: you can write a message, record a voice or short video message, send a photo, video or document. Messages can be answered with a quote and given reactions. You can edit your own text and forward the message that matters into another chat.

Statuses show when the other person is online or typing. A draft keeps an unfinished message if you got distracted. Link previews open right in the chat, and stickers and a dark theme help tailor the conversation to you.

Private and group chats

A private chat suits everyday conversations where speed and simplicity matter. Write to someone close, send a photo or a voice message, and when messages are not enough, start a call from the same conversation. Call history stays next to the chat, so a missed call is easy to notice.

A group is a convenient place for family news, discussing plans with friends or running a small shared project. An admin can change the name, photo and description, and add or remove members. This format does not require a separate tool for every action: conversation, attachments and calls sit side by side.

By voice and on video

Voice messages help when typing takes too long or is awkward. A short video message is a quick way to show a place, an object or a mood without a full call. Photos, videos and documents are sent straight into the chat.

For real-time conversation there are audio and video calls. In a group call you can turn on screen sharing, use reactions, raise a hand and see who is speaking. Before an important call, check the microphone, camera and connection together with the participants.

Group invitations

To gather people in one chat, create an invite link in the group settings. Send it into the previous conversation: people will move to Solovo and land straight in the right group. That is simpler than finding and adding everyone by hand.

The link stays under the admin's control. Once everyone is invited, it can be revoked and a new one issued later. That way you manage who gets into the group and do not leave an old link active longer than necessary.

On a phone and in a browser

Solovo is available for iPhone, iPad and Android. On a computer you can open the web version, sign in with your phone number and continue the conversation from the keyboard. That is convenient for long messages, documents and calls with screen sharing.

Start from the main Solovo site: from there you can go to the App Store, Google Play or the web version. Check the address before entering your number, and never share the confirmation code. Permissions for the microphone, camera, contacts and files can be granted as you start using the corresponding features.

Protection on the device

On a supported device the app can be locked with a passcode and unlocked with Face ID, Touch ID or a fingerprint. That helps protect an already open account if the phone temporarily ends up in someone else's hands. The sign-in code itself must still stay with you alone.

Device settings matter too. Set a screen lock, do not show message content in notifications on a locked phone and update the app promptly. These simple measures complement the messenger's own protection.

For the people close to you and shared tasks

Family

Create one place for family news, photos, voice messages and calls. The first occasion can be a weekend plan, photos from a trip or an evening conversation with relatives. A clear purpose helps everyone get used to a new app faster.

Friends

A group chat is a convenient place to arrange a meet-up, discuss a route, forward tickets and collect photos after the event. If the details are easier to talk through, start a group call. The whole conversation stays next to the attachments and the call history.

A small team

Chats, documents, calls and screen sharing suit a small group discussing a shared project. If an organisation needs centralised administration, mandatory archiving, single sign-on, integrations or its own server, those requirements must be checked before moving work over. We do not claim such corporate features as part of an ordinary user account.

What is important to know

We do not claim automatic import of WhatsApp history. A trial move of one chat means a new conversation or group in Solovo with the same people. Old messages stay in WhatsApp, while new ones are sent in the chosen Solovo chat.

Contacts and members are not transferred with the archive automatically either. Invite the person you need directly or send a group link. WhatsApp can stay installed for as long as you need it for the previous history and for the people who have not moved yet.

Solovo is a young messenger and keeps evolving. The feature set may differ between iOS, Android and the browser, so before a group call or a group move, update the app and test the action you need on everyone's devices. Capabilities marked on the site as in development are not included in our description of available features.

How to start

The move takes a few clear steps:

• Open the main Solovo site and choose the app for your device or the web version.
• Install the app from the App Store or Google Play, or open Solovo in a browser.
• Enter your phone number and type in the confirmation code you receive.
• Find the person you need or create a group and send an invite link.
• Write the first message, send a photo or a voice message and make a short call.
• Agree to keep this conversation going in Solovo for a few days.

Do not delete the previous chat right away. First make sure notifications arrive, attachments open, and the sound and video work for everyone. After that you will have real experience to lean on when moving the next conversation.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to delete WhatsApp?

No. Keep the app for your previous history and the contacts who have not moved yet. Solovo can be used alongside it, starting with one family, friends or work conversation.

Will my message history transfer?

We do not claim automatic import of WhatsApp history. Create a new conversation or group in Solovo and continue there. Old messages stay in WhatsApp as a separate archive.

Are there group calls?

Yes. Group voice and video calls support screen sharing, reactions, a raised hand and a speaker indicator. Before an important conversation, update the app and run a short connection check.

Can I sign in from a computer?

Yes. The web version opens in a browser and uses phone-number sign-in. After signing in, check notifications, the microphone and the camera if you plan to call from a computer.

Is Solovo suitable for work?

For a small team there are chats, attachments, audio and video calls and screen sharing. Corporate requirements for data retention, administration and integrations need to be checked separately before a company moves over.

Try one conversation

Open the main Solovo site, install the app or go to the web version. Invite someone you care about staying in touch with and continue one real conversation. If the everyday actions feel right for both of you, your new circle will grow gradually — with no abrupt break from WhatsApp and no loss of old history.

Sources

• Main Solovo site — solovo.app
• Solovo web version — app.solovo.ru
• Solovo in the App Store — apps.apple.com/ru/app/%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE/id6761128325
• Solovo on Google Play — play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.solovo.messenger
• Telegram help — telegram.org/faq
• Signal help — support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007320391-Is-it-private-Can-I-trust-it
• Viber help — www.viber.com/ru/features
• MAX site — max.ru