WhatsApp has introduced new functionality to its Linked Devices feature that lets you connect more than one Android phone to your main account. Previously you could only use one phone with the feature.
WhatsApp Lets You More Android Phones to Connected Devices
WhatsApp rolled out the functionality without making a blog post, in-app notification, or mentioning it in the Google Play Store update notes. The functionality was spotted by Reframed and MUO tested the feature to confirm its availability. We tested the feature with three phones in total (primary device and two extras) and were able to sync all devices.
The feature, however, does not work with iPhones.
Previously, you could only link computers and laptops to your WhatsApp account using WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp Desktop. WhatsApp also recently rolled out the ability to use WhatsApp on your Android tablet. But previous limitations meant that only one phone could be added to your device list.
How to Add Multiple Phones to WhatsApp
The new feature now means that users can add extra Android phones to their device list too. To do so, install the latest version of WhatsApp on an Android phone that doesn't already have an account on it.
Open the app and select your language. Then, when you're prompted to enter your phone number, click the three dots on the top right and select Link a device. WhatsApp will then give you a QR code to scan with your primary phone.
To scan the QR code, open WhatsApp on your primary device and tap the three dots in the top right corner. Select Linked devices, then tap the Link a device button. Then scan the QR code on your secondary device.
Once you've done this, WhatsApp will load and sync your messages on both phones. The new device will show up as Android on your list of connected, active devices on your primary phone. We were able to do this with an additional phone, linking three phones to one WhatsApp account. However, only the primary device can add more connected sessions.
It's unclear why the new feature hasn't received a full announcement. But it may be part of the app's rollout of other quality-of-life features, like the ability to message yourself on WhatsApp.
Link Your WhatsApp Account to Multiple Phones
If you're an Android user, you can now use WhatsApp on multiple phones without requiring a workaround or hidden trick. However, iOS users may have to wait a bit longer to use this feature.