Meta-owned WhatsApp will now allow users to log into the same account on up to four phones, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced on April 25, thereby fulfilling a long-requested feature addition to the messaging application.
The feature builds up on WhatsApp's multi-device offering that was introduced last year, allowing users to access their account across multiple platforms such as web browsers, tablets and desktops.
WhatsApp said it has started rolling out this feature to users across the world and will be available to all users in the coming weeks.
This feature will enable users to switch between phones without signing out and pick up their chats where they left off earlier, the company said.
For small businesses, this would enable additional employees to respond to customers directly from their phones under the same WhatsApp business account.
WhatsApp mentioned that each linked phone will connect to WhatsApp independently, ensuring that the user's personal messages, media and calls are end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp will also log users out of all companion devices if the primary device is inactive for 14 days, it said.
In the coming weeks, WhatsApp mentioned that it is also introducing a more simpler way for users to link their companion devices. They will be able to enter their phone number on WhatsApp Web to receive a one-time code which they can use to link their devices, instead of scanning the QR code on the web application.
Earlier this month, WhatsApp had introduced a slew of new features to strengthen its security offerings. This included automated security codes, device verification, and extra checks while moving accounts to another device.
Whenever users want to move their WhatsApp accounts to a new device, a new feature called Account Protect will now ask them on the old device to verify whether they want to take this step as an extra security check, in order to alert any unauthorized attempt to move the account to another device.
Last month, the messaging app debuted two new features to its groups functionality, making it easier for people to see groups in common with others and giving admins more control over who can join a group.
In the past few months, WhatsApp also rolled out new updates including making groups larger and giving admins the ability to delete messages sent in the groups they manage.
The world's largest messaging application also bolstered its ephemeral status feature that allows users to share text, photo, and video that disappear after 24 hours in February 2023.
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