WhatsApp users who have been struggling with the inconvenience of having multiple accounts can now relax, as the platform has introduced a new multi-device feature. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, announced that users can now log into the same WhatsApp account on up to four phones simultaneously.
The multi-device feature has been available on WhatsApp for a while, but it only allowed users to access their accounts from browsers, computers, or Android tablets in addition to their primary phone. However, the new feature lets users log in to other phones as well, but the limit is four devices.
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WhatsApp describes this feature as “One WhatsApp account, now across multiple phones,” which is already being rolled out to users worldwide and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks. The new feature is particularly useful for people who use different phones and want the same WhatsApp account on all of them. It is also beneficial for small businesses as multiple employees can send and receive messages from the same business number on different phones.
The new feature ensures that messages are synced across different phones for up to a year. Even if a phone is switched off, users can still access their messages on other phones as each phone connects individually. All chats, media, and calls will be end-to-end encrypted on every phone. If a user’s primary device remains inactive for an extended period, WhatsApp will automatically log them out of all the companion phones.
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To use the new feature, open WhatsApp on your primary smartphone, and click on its icon. Next, tap on the overflow menu (symbolized by three dots) and select “Linked devices”. This will take you to a settings page displaying your linked devices. On this page, tap on the green “Link a device” button. You will be prompted to scan a QR code that will appear on your other phone’s screen. Once scanned, your secondary phone will begin syncing your messages.
The multi-device feature is available on both WhatsApp for Android and iOS. Users can now link up to four devices with the same account, making it easier for them to stay connected on all their devices.