WhatsApp has announced multi-phone support, implementing one of the most requested features for the messaging app.
While WhatsApp has supported using a computer or tablet in conjunction with a smartphone, WhatsApp accounts have been limited to a single smartphone at a time. In a blog post, the company says it has added the feature and is rolling it out globally:
Today, we’re improving our multi-device offering further by introducing the ability to use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones.
A feature highly requested by users, now you can link your phone as one of up to four additional devices, the same as when you link with WhatsApp on web browsers, tablets and desktops. Each linked phone connects to WhatsApp independently, ensuring that your personal messages, media, and calls are end-to-end encrypted, and if your primary device is inactive for a long period, we automatically log you out of all companion devices.
The new feature will allow users to easily switch between devices without needing to log out and log in on the secondary phones:
Linking phones as companion devices makes messaging easier. Now you can switch between phones without signing out and pick up your chats where you left off. Or if you’re a small business owner, additional employees are now able to respond to customers directly from their phones under the same WhatsApp Business account.
The company says the update should roll out to everyone within the coming weeks.
