WhatsApp Multi-Device Archives - Gizmochina

WhatsApp introduces multi-device support: Use the same account on up to four phones

Soumyakanti — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 07:37:14 +0000

WhatsApp has just launched its much-awaited “multi-device” feature that enables users to access their WhatsApp account on up to four devices simultaneously. This feature has been in the works for a while and is now available worldwide.

Previously, multi-device support was only possible through WhatsApp Web, desktop apps, and Android tablets. However, now users can link up to four devices with their WhatsApp account, including smartphones, tablets, and PCs. This feature is expected to be a game-changer, especially for small businesses, as it allows multiple employees to send and receive messages from the same business number on different phones.

Credit: The Verge

This new feature allows messages sent and received on any of the linked devices to be synced across all devices for up to a year. This means that even if your primary smartphone is switched off, you can still access your messages on other smartphones as each smartphone connects individually. All chats, media, and calls will be end-to-end encrypted on every smartphone. However, if your primary device remains inactive for a long time, WhatsApp will automatically log you out of all the companion smartphones.

To enable this feature, users can tap on the “link to existing account” option during setup and scan the QR code on their primary phone through the “link a device” option in settings. This feature is available on both WhatsApp for Android and iOS.

How to enable WhatsApp on multiple iPhones and Android devices

To link up to four companion Android smartphones or iPhones to your WhatsApp account, download or update WhatsApp to the latest available version from the Google Play Store or Apple Store.

Open WhatsApp on your companion device, enter your country code and phone number, and click on “Link a new device.” On your primary phone, click on “linked devices” in settings, then “link a new device,” and scan the barcode on the secondary device.

The multi-device feature also enables users to remove any of the companion phones from the WhatsApp account. To do this, go to your primary phone, open WhatsApp, access the “linked devices” menu, and click on the “logout” option for that specific device.

Overall, this new multi-device feature is expected to make it easier and more convenient for users to stay connected with their loved ones and businesses. With end-to-end encryption, it’s also a secure way to stay in touch across multiple devices. The rollout of this feature is expected to take a few weeks to reach all users. WhatsApp is working to add support for animated emojis, while also allowing users to add descriptions to forwarded messages.

WhatsApp Beta gets “Companion Device” support & “Quick Reactions” in new build

Sudhanshu — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 17:55:52 +0000

WhatsApp recently debuted a new feature dubbed “Multi-device support.” This feature lets users access the instant messaging platform on a linked PC without the smartphone being connected to the internet.

Now, the meta-owned platform is pushing a new Beta build which comes with a feature that will grant users the ability to use their WhatsApp account on a secondary smartphone.

The feature will work similarly to the current multi-device support feature. Users will have the option to link a secondary smartphone or tablet to their WhatsApp account on the primary device. A WABetainfo report mentions that the Beta update has version number 2.22.10.13 for Android, and has also shared a screenshot of the feature which has a section titled “Register Device as Companion.” According to the instructions in the screenshot, users will likely have to scan the QR code with the primary WhatsApp device to complete the linking of the messaging service to a secondary smartphone or tablet.

Other than that, WhatsApp is also working on a Quick Reactions feature that will let users react to a status update with an emoji. The feature is already available on other Meta-owned platforms Instagram and Messenger.

The Quick Reaction will bring eight reaction emojis including a smiling face with heart eyes, a face with tears of joy, a face with open mouth, a crying face, a person with folded hands, clapping hands, party popper, and hundred points emoji.

WhatsApp beta now allows multi-device usage without a phone

Jeet — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 06:58:38 +0000

WhatsApp has web support but using this version requires you to connect using a smartphone and it needs to be powered on and connected. Now, the company has released a new beta that brings support for multi-device without the need for a phone.

This is one of the most anticipated features and a couple of months ago, the company’s executives talked about the feature being in development. If you are interested to check it out, you can enroll yourself by following the procedure described by the company. For using this, you will need to be on the latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android or iOS.

The company says that it has developed new technologies that ensure that even on multiple devices, messages sync while maintaining end-to-end encryption. It adds that each message is individually encrypted using the established pairwise encryption session with each device. Also, messages are not stored on the server after they are delivered.

It solves one of the major issues of the WhatsApp Web version — requiring a phone to be connected all the time. The company says that by requiring the phone to perform all operations, companion devices are slower and frequently get disconnected, especially when the phone has a poor connection, its battery is running low, or the application process gets killed by the phone’s operating system.

It also allows for only a single companion device to be operative at a time, meaning people can’t be on a call in Portal while checking their messages on their PC. The new WhatsApp multi-device architecture developed by the company removes these hurdles and it no longer requires a smartphone to be the source for everything and still keeps user data seamlessly and securely synchronized and private.

However, not everything is working at this stage. The company has shared a list of features that are currently not working with the beta version of multi-device support.

Viewing live location on companion devices.
Pinning chats on WhatsApp Web or Desktop.
Joining, viewing, and resetting group invites from WhatsApp Web and Desktop. For these functions, you’ll need to use your phone.
Messaging or calling someone who is using a very old version of WhatsApp on their phone won’t work from your linked device.
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 their business name or labels from WhatsApp Web or Desktop.

Currently, there’s no specific date for when the company is planning to roll out this feature to all users. The firm is initially rolling out this feature to its existing beta users. Over the coming months, it plans to start adding it as an opt-in beta feature for a small number of users on stable versions of the app.