You Can Now Join a WhatsApp Call Without an Account.
The most frustrating thing about your favorite messaging app is trying to get friends and family to use it. WhatsApp may be the most popular messaging platform in the world, but in the United States, it’s far from ubiquitous. In fact, you’ll find plenty of people who don’t use it at all. In short, it’s difficult to get a whole group of people to stick to any one platform, which can make regular video calls frustrating: if you don’t use WhatsApp and your friends organize a call, what are you supposed to do? You can’t join a WhatsApp call without a WhatsApp account.
That’s changing . Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, announced the launch of “guest calling” on Wednesday. Now, any WhatsApp user can invite anyone not registered with WhatsApp to a call, even if the recipient doesn’t have an account. According to Meta, these calls retain the same key benefits as traditional WhatsApp calls: they’re free and end-to-end encrypted, so you won’t be compromising your privacy when calling someone not registered with WhatsApp.
For users who don’t use WhatsApp, the experience remains limited. Meta advises that these users always require approval from the call organizer to join. If you don’t use WhatsApp, you’ll be placed in the waiting room until the call organizer allows you to join. Meta also advises that you can be kicked out of the call at any time, and you won’t be able to see other participants’ phone numbers. You won’t be able to send messages or add other people to the call. You’re simply a participant.
How to invite someone without a WhatsApp account to a WhatsApp call
If you’re trying to add a non-WhatsApp user to a call, first go to the “Calls” tab in the app. From there, tap the (+) button, create a call link, and then send it to the recipient. Meta reports that the user can open the link in their computer browser, enter their name, and join. This applies to both one-on-one calls and calls with up to 32 participants. While guests will have the same limitations as above, they will have access to certain features. They can share their screen, respond with emoji, or raise their hand.
WhatsApp isn’t the first messaging app to offer this feature. For example, Apple’s FaceTime platform allows you to create call links that anyone can join , whether they’re calling from an Apple device or from an Android, Windows (or Linux) device.