WhatsApp links users to one active account on one device, even if they can choose to use the popular messaging platform on different devices. To access a secondary account associated with a different phone number, users must sign out of their primary account on the same device. That’s going to change. Meta instant messenger announced on Thursday that users can have two active WhatsApp accounts logged into Android devices at the same time. WhatsApp users can switch between the two accounts seamlessly, without having to log out.
In a blog post, WhatsApp said that to set up two accounts, users will need a second phone number and a SIM card, or a phone that supports multi-SIM or eSIM. Users can then go to WhatsApp settings, tap the arrow next to their name and click ‘Add account’. Using their secondary phone number, they can then set up a second WhatsApp account in the app.
It’s also worth noting that users can adjust the privacy and notification settings for each account individually. For example, you can mute notifications on your personal account and allow them for your work account, or vice versa. Messages sent and received on both accounts are of course also end-to-end encrypted.
The multi-account feature allows users to easily switch between work and personal accounts on WhatsApp without having to carry two phones. On its blog, WhatsApp also warned users to only use the official WhatsApp app on the Google Play Store and not download imitative apps. The company has not yet confirmed the feature on iOS devices.
WhatsApp has had a busy week, introducing a number of new updates and features for users. It was also recently reported that the app is testing a ‘view once’ mode switch for voice messages, much like the one present for sending photos and videos through the app.
Earlier this week, the app also introduced support for passkeys on Android. This feature allows Android users to securely log into their WhatsApp account using biometric authentication on their phones or their device’s PIN.
