It is pretty frustrating when you own several phones or mobile devices and want to use applications like WhatsApp on those phones but can’t. Now, that agony has ended, at least, generally speaking.
WhatsApp, whose parent company is Meta, said on Tuesday that it is now allowing users to use the same WhatsApp account of theirs on up to five phones. Yes! So that means you can no longer be disconnected from the instant messaging app when you need to pick up your other phone, such as your corporate phone, other than your personal phone.
This is also said to be one of the most requested features among WhatsApp users.
And this comes after WhatsApp, in 2021, previously introduced to its users the ability to use the same account seamlessly across one phone and multiple other devices. This new feature announced yesterday is deemed the logical conclusion of the 2021 update.
“Last year, we introduced the ability for users globally to message seamlessly across all their devices, while maintaining the same level of privacy and security,” WhatsApp said in the latest news posted on their blog. “Today, we’re improving our multi-device offering further by introducing the ability to use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones.”
This also ends WhatsApp being on the far end of the competition since, before this feature rolled out, its competitors have been allowing users to use the same account on multiple phones. Things are really changing for WhatsApp.
You can now start using the same WhatsApp account on up to five phones. It is easy to get started with this. Simply link your additional phones as you link with WhatsApp using your web browsers, desktops, or tablets.
Are you worried about the security of your conversations? Don’t be. WhatsApp also said that your personal messages, media, and calls are still end-to-end encrypted. Meaning to say, the company cannot read them since each device independently links to its servers. Many individuals prefer instant messaging platforms with this security feature to keep their chats safe from companies prying or government subpoenas.
“This update has started rolling out to users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks,” WhatsApp added in its official blog post.
But there’s a catch. As a security precaution, if your primary phone is “inactive for a long period,” WhatsApp will automatically log you out of all companion devices. The company did not specify the particular duration.
Meanwhile, over the coming weeks, the instant messaging platform said it is also rolling out a more accessible way to link to companion devices. In the same blog post, they gave a preview of how to make this possible.
You can enter your phone number on WhatsApp Web, receive a one-time code, and use this on your phone to enable device linking. You don’t have to scan a QR code anymore. However, this is only available for now on WhatsApp Web.
