WhatsApp has announced the rollout of a much-anticipated feature that enables users to link their account across multiple phones. The messaging app users can now connect their phone as one of up to four devices, similar to how WhatsApp can be linked across web browsers, tablets, and desktops.
“Starting today, you can log into the same WhatsApp account on up to four phones,” announced Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, which owns WhatsApp. This update has begun rolling out to users worldwide and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.
In the blog post, WhatsApp explained that each linked phone connects to the service independently, ensuring that personal messages, media, and calls are end-to-end encrypted. The company added, “and if your primary device is inactive for a long period, we automatically log you out of all companion devices.”
This new feature not only simplifies messaging for users who switch between phones regularly but also benefits small business owners who can now allow multiple employees to respond to customers directly from their phones under the same WhatsApp Business account.
Use WhatsApp multi-device feature
WhatsApp further stated that it is introducing “an alternative and more accessible way to link to companion devices.” Users can now enter their phone number on WhatsApp Web to receive a one-time code, which can be used on their phone to enable device linking, rather than having to scan a QR code. The company looks forward to introducing this feature to more companion devices in the future.
The multi-phone feature has been highly requested by users who wanted to access their WhatsApp accounts from various devices. Previously, the multi-device feature only allowed users to access WhatsApp from browsers, computers, or Android tablets alongside their primary phone. The updated feature now allows users to link their accounts across multiple smartphones, with a limit of four devices.
As each phone connects individually, messages from up to a year will be synced across the different devices. This means users can still access their messages on other phones, even if one device is switched off. All chats, media, and calls will remain end-to-end encrypted on every phone.
