On Tuesday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that WhatsApp would be introducing the option for users to log into their messaging app from more than one phone.
Previously, users could only use one WhatsApp account on a single phone, which had been a major complaint from users.
While users could already connect WhatsApp on other devices such as tablets and companion phones, they were limited to four devices in total. The new feature will allow users to sync their messages across all four devices, including other phones. If one device is switched off, users can still access the app on their other devices.
WhatsApp has over 2 billion users and is one of the biggest messaging services. Its lack of multi-phone support was due to end-to-end encryption support for chats and calls. However, the company started testing multi-device compatibility with select beta users in 2021.
WhatsApp’s competitors, such as Telegram and Messenger, already offer multi-device sync for messages but do not support end-to-end encryption. In the following year, WhatsApp rolled out its multi-device feature for all, but it did not support multiple phones.
To link devices, WhatsApp is rolling out a new one-time code feature. Users can now get a code by entering their mobile number on WhatsApp Web, which they can use to link their devices instead of scanning a QR code on their mobile phone. This feature will be made available for more linked devices in the future. The new multi-phone support feature will be rolled out to all users within the coming weeks.
