WhatsApp now lets anyone join a call from a computer browser with just a name, so you can invite clients or relatives without asking them to sign up.
WhatsApp has added a guest-calling feature that lets people join voice and video calls without a WhatsApp account. A WhatsApp user shares a link, and the guest opens it in a computer browser. The company introduced the feature last week, according to The Daily Star.
Only people with WhatsApp accounts can create a guest call link. To do it, open the Calls tab, tap the plus icon and generate a link. Then send it to the people you want on the call. It works for one-to-one calls and group calls.
A guest opens the link in a computer browser and types in a name. Then they wait for the host to let them in.
The host holds the controls. Guests sit in a virtual waiting room until the host admits them, and the host can remove anyone at any time.
Guests also have limits. They cannot see other participants' phone numbers. They cannot send messages through WhatsApp. They cannot add people to the call on their own.
Anyone who already uses WhatsApp for work or family can now reach people who do not. A small business could meet a client who avoids new apps. A teacher could bring in a parent. The screen-sharing option may suit remote meetings, online classes and shared work.
WhatsApp says calendar integrations are planned for later this year. Users will be able to create call links straight from Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook invitations. That will require installing the WhatsApp plug-in and connecting accounts. Invited people will be able to join with or without a WhatsApp account.
The report describes guests joining from a computer browser. It does not say whether guests can join from a phone browser. It also does not say which countries can use the feature or how soon every user will see it.
If you use WhatsApp, you can now invite non-users to a call with a link, and you decide who gets in.
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