Since the early days of WhatsApp, users have only been able to use one phone per account — but that’s finally changing.
The chatting platform has announced that users can now have their WhatsApp account on up to four additional phones, or five in total.
WhatsApp users can link up to four additional “companion” smartphones by scanning QR codes with their primary phone.
Users have already been able to connect up to four computers or tablets to a single WhatsApp account, but so far no additional phones have been connected.
The “much needed” feature will suit those who have a phone for work and a phone for personal use but still want all their conversations under one WhatsApp account.
WhatsApp said it was improving its ‘multi-device offering’ by offering the ability to use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones
The update has started rolling out to users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks, according to WhatsApp.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, which owns WhatsApp, He announced the update on his Facebook page Tuesday.
“Starting today, you can log into the same WhatsApp account on up to four phones,” he said.
In response, one user joked “This would be a problem for jealous couples”, while another said “I’m trying to log into my friends account, would he know”.
WhatsApp, first released in 2009, was designed to send the equivalent of text messages but over the Internet.
For this reason, a WhatsApp account has always been closely associated with an individual phone number, although recently it has become possible to associate several non-phone devices with an account as well.
In 2021, WhatsApp began allowing users to connect up to four additional non-phone devices such as computers and tablets to their accounts, independently of the phone.
This meant that the user was able to, for example, have their phone, two tablets, and two computers all running the same single WhatsApp account.
This feature was rolled out globally by 2022, but now WhatsApp is taking it a step further by offering the ability to use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones as well.
Although the number of devices has not been increased (one primary phone has up to four companion devices), additional phones can now be included in the mix as well.
WhatsApp said each linked device will connect to WhatsApp independently, ensuring all personal messages, media, and calls are synced.
If the ‘primary’ smartphone – defined as the one that had your WhatsApp account on it – is inactive for a long time, you will be automatically logged out from all the ‘companion’ phones.
WhatsApp (owned by Meta) has announced one of the biggest changes in the chat app’s 14-year history
WhatsApp employees have confirmed that regardless of the device running a WhatsApp account, all chats will remain end-to-end encrypted.
End-to-end encryption ensures that only messages are read between participants, and no one in between — not even the company that owns the service.
WhatsApp, which Facebook bought in 2014 for about $19 billion, says every private message sent using WhatsApp is secured with end-to-end encryption by default.
It works like an “unbreakable digital lock” that keeps the contents of the messages secure and no one can see them except the sender and receiver.
However, WhatsApp is likely to be banned in the UK due to its use of end-to-end encryption, which some believe makes it more difficult for security agencies and other organizations such as child protection charities to detect criminal activity.
The UK government is currently considering new legislation that could force WhatsApp and other chat platforms to break end-to-end encryption, as part of the Online Security Bill.
Messaging services you use, including WhatsApp, Signal, Viber, and Element, have signed a file open letter opposition to the Online Safety Bill ahead of its final reading in the House of Lords, which is still to come.
‘The UK government should urgently reconsider the bill, revising it to encourage companies to offer more privacy and security for their residents, not less,’ Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp at Meta, said in the letter along with six other signatories. .
This follows the news that WhatsApp developers are working on bringing animated emojis to the platform, according to independent experts WABetaInfo.
A GIF of the new emoji in action shows the “Face with Party Horn and Party Hat” emoji spinning around while blowing the party horn.
One of WhatsApp’s primary competitors, Telegram, already has animated emoji, which has led to accusations from some users on Twitter that WhatsApp is ‘stealing’ the idea.
