WhatsApp has been working on multi-device support for a long time now, and the feature is finally being rolled out for beta testers. Soon, all other users will also be able to use this functionality, allowing them to run their WhatsApp account on multiple devices (up to 4) at once without keeping their phone online. If you have been using the beta version of the app, here’s how you can use the WhatsApp multi-device feature.
What Is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp Messenger, or simply WhatsApp, is an American freeware, cross-platform centralized messaging and voice-over-IP service owned by Facebook, Inc. It allows users to send text messages and voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other content.
How to Enroll in WhatsApp Multi-Device Beta
At this moment, you will need a WhatsApp beta build to test the multi-device feature, and the beta program is full on both Android and iOS. So if you are already enrolled in WhatsApp’s beta program, here’s how to sign up for WhatsApp multi-device beta testing:
Step 1: Open WhatsApp and tap on the vertical three dots menu at the top right corner. From the list of options that pop up, tap on “Linked devices”.
Step 2: If your WhatsApp account has received multi-device support, you will see a new “Multi-device beta” option here. Tap on it and press “Join beta” to join WhatsApp’s multi-device beta program.
Step 3: WhatsApp will now warn you that you will have to link your companion devices once again. Tap “Continue” to confirm your action, and well, you have successfully joined the multi-device beta. If you change your mind, you can always go back to the “Linked devices” settings page and leave the multi-device beta program.
Use Same WhatsApp Account on Multiple Devices
Now that you have signed up for multi-device beta, it’s time to link your devices. To do that, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Open the “Linked devices” screen in WhatsApp on your phone and open the WhatsApp Web or Desktop app on your PC. Once the QR code appears, tap on “Link a device” on your phone and scan the QR code on your PC or Facebook portal device.
Step 2: Similarly, you can link up to four devices at the same time. Here, I have linked three browsers and the WhatsApp Desktop app for Windows with my account, as you can see in the image below. Do keep in mind that these linked devices will get disconnected if you don’t use your phone for over 14 days.
Step 3: If you no longer want to use WhatsApp on a specific device, you can tap on the target device from the Linked devices page and choose the “Log out” option. Alternatively, you can choose to log out from the device in question as well.
Important Points About WhatsApp Multi-Device Beta
- You can use WhatsApp on up to 4 devices and on your phone at once.
- All the linked devices will keep on working even if your phone is not online.
- The feature doesn’t support two phones as of now and you can use WhatsApp Web, and desktop clients.
- You can make voice and video calls through these linked devices.
- People who have an outdated WhatsApp version won’t be able to chat with you when you are online from WhatsApp Web or Desktop.
- Linked devices will be logged out automatically from your account after 14 days of inactivity on your phone.
As mentioned above, this feature is rolled out for beta testers as of now. So if you want to check whether you’ve got this feature, open the WhatsApp Web setting which has become Linked devices now, and see if there is a new “Multi-device beta” option.
WhatsApp Multi-Device Limitations
Having said all that, here are the known limitations of WhatsApp’s multi-device beta, as detailed by WhatsApp:
- Checking Live location on linked devices
- Pinning chats on WhatsApp Web or Desktop
- Joining, viewing, and resetting group invites from WhatsApp Web and Desktop
- Contacting someone with an outdated WhatsApp version
- Calling from Portal or WhatsApp Desktop to linked devices that aren’t enrolled in the multi-device beta
- Other WhatsApp accounts on your Portal won’t work unless those accounts have joined the multi-device beta
- WhatsApp Business users can’t edit business names or labels from WhatsApp Web or Desktop
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WhatsApp Have Multi-Device Support?
WhatsApp is testing multi-device support in the beta channel on Android and iOS right now. You can use WhatsApp on multiple devices in the coming months.
How Many Devices Can Be Connected to WhatsApp?
Apart from your primary phone, you can connect a total of four devices to your WhatsApp account. These devices can be WhatsApp Web, Desktop, or Facebook Portal. You can’t officially use WhatsApp with two phones right now.
How to Join WhatsApp Multi-Device Beta?
If you are enrolled in the WhatsApp beta program, you can access WhatsApp multi-device beta from the Linked devices page. We’ve detailed the instructions to join WhatsApp multi-device beta above.