Learn how to use the same WhatsApp account with the same single phone number on up to four smartphones so you can chat and call from all devices.
You can use WhatsApp on your computer, iPad, iPhone, and Android phone with just your phone number registered on the service. For example, you could set up WhatsApp on both your new and old phone. And businesses taking advantage of this feature will give their staff devices linked to WhatsApp Business on their main phone, so that multiple support agents can chat and talk with customers using the same phone number.
“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,” Meta noted in an April 2023 announcement on the WhatsApp blog.
Without further ado, grab your iPhone and follow along as we walk you through linking companion devices to your WhatsApp account step by step, and discuss some important limitations.
Setting up the same WhatsApp account on two or more phones
Choose the hidden device linking option when setting up WhatsApp on another device instead of registering your phone number, as the latter will unlink WhatsApp from your primary phone. But first, check that WhatsApp is updated and working correctly on your primary phone, whether it be an iPhone or an Android phone.
1) Download WhatsApp on a second device from Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store. If the app is already installed, delete and re-download it.
2) Open WhatsApp on the second device and tap Agree & Continue.
3) Hit the three-dotted icon at the top and choose “Link as companion device” from the menu.
4) You’ll see a QR code. Open WhatsApp on your primary phone and choose Linked Devices from the Settings tab (iPhone) or the three-dotted menu in the upper-right corner (Android).
5) Then, tap the Link Device button and scan the QR code displayed on your second phone.
6) Keep WhatsApp open on both devices for messages to finish syncing. It can take a while for your conversation history to download on another device, especially if you have lots of photos, videos, and attachments in chats.
Using the same WhatsApp account on another phone
You don’t have to wait for the sync to complete, as you can immediately open a chat and continue on your second phone right where you left off on your primary. Incoming messages appear on all devices. Other actions, like archiving a chat or deleting a conversation, are reflected everywhere. You can also call people from your secondary devices, but not transfer calls between them. Once the call ends, it appears in the WhatsApp call history of all devices.
Things WhatsApp on companion devices can’t do
Secondary devices and basically extensions of WhatsApp on your primary phone. This is why account-level features like two-factor authentication, changing phone numbers, setting up a secret code to lock individual chats, and payments (if you’re in India) only work in WhatsApp on your primary phone. You also cannot share your live location using WhatsApp on a companion device.
Therefore, be sure to keep WhatsApp on your companion phone after linking it with other devices. Deleting the app from your primary phone will stop it from working on any companion devices. If you want to stop using WhatsApp on your primary phone, first move chats to your second phone.
Managing WhatsApp settings across multiple phones
Some account-level WhatsApp settings, like profile photo privacy and read receipts, are shared across devices. Adjusting such an option on one device will reflect it on all your other devices. Per-device settings like media auto-download and image upload quality are separately managed on each device.
Logging out of WhatsApp on a second phone
To stop using your WhatsApp account on a companion device, simply unlink it on the primary device.
- Head to the Linked Devices section on your primary phone, select your secondary phone, and tap Log Out.
- Alternatively, you can also go to WhatsApp Settings > Account on your secondary phone and tap Log Out.
Note that for security reasons, WhatsApp will log out of your account on any companion devices if you haven’t used it on your main phone for more than 14 days.
On the opposite note: How to use two or more WhatsApp accounts on one iPhone or computer