WhatsApp restricts users to a single active account on a single device, even if they can use the messaging platform on multiple devices. Users must log out of their primary account on the same device in order to access a secondary account associated with a different phone number. That will soon change.
On Thursday, the Meta-owned instant messaging app revealed that users will be able to have two active WhatsApp accounts logged in at the same time on Android smartphones. WhatsApp users can instantly switch between the two accounts without having to log out.
In a blog post on the WhatsApp official website, it said that in order to set up two accounts, users would need a second phone number and SIM card, or a phone that supports multi-SIM or eSIM.
Users can then go to their WhatsApp settings, tap the arrow next to their name, and tap “Add account.” They can then create a second WhatsApp account on the app using their alternative phone number.
It’s also worth mentioning that users can also customize their privacy and notification settings on each account separately. You may, for example, silence notifications on your personal account while allowing them on your work account, or vice versa. Messages sent and received on both accounts will be end-to-end encrypted.
Photo Credit: WhatsApp
The multi-account capability would allow users to seamlessly switch between business and personal accounts on WhatsApp, eliminating the need to carry two phones. WhatsApp also warned users on its blog not to download imitating apps and to only use the genuine WhatsApp app from the Google Play Store. The feature on iOS devices has yet to be confirmed by the company.
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WhatsApp has had a busy week, releasing a number of new updates and features for users. Recently, the app was believed to be testing a ‘view once‘ mode toggle for voice messages, similar to the one available for sending images and videos.
The app also added support for passkeys on Android earlier this week. Android users can use biometric authentication on their phones or their device PIN to log back into their WhatsApp account securely.
