TECHNOLOGY · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
WhatsApp Launches Guest Calling, Letting Non‑Users Join Calls
WHY IT MATTERS
The feature broadens WhatsApp’s usability for business and personal communication, allowing participants who don’t have the app to join secure calls, which could streamline collaboration and reduce barriers to participation.
What happened
Meta’s messaging app WhatsApp has added a guest‑calling feature that lets anyone join a call without creating an account. Hosts can send a link that opens the call in the web version, where guests can use hand‑raising, screen sharing, and emoji reactions—all protected by end‑to‑end encryption.
To start a call, the host must have an account, and guests must be approved by the host before entering. Once approved, guests wait in a virtual waiting room until the host admits them.
The move expands WhatsApp’s reach to non‑users while keeping the core privacy and feature set intact.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Now you can call anyone with WhatsApp, even if they don’t have WhatsApp
The Verge · Stevie Bonifield · Discovery only; Vox Media copyright terms apply
CORRECTIONS & UPDATES
- Revision 1 · Initial ingestion · Oct 14, 2026, 4:30 PM
- Revision 2 · Source update detected · Oct 14, 2026, 4:30 PM