WhatsApp Opens Group Calls to Guests Without Requiring an Account
WhatsApp is expanding its call links so hosts can invite people who are not in their contactsāand who may not have a WhatsApp account at all. The new Guest Calling feature lets those invitees join voice or video calls through a computer browser, subject to approval by the host. It is a meaningful change to who can enter a WhatsApp call, though call links themselves are not new: WhatsApp introduced them in 2022, when people joining by link still needed an account. 1Ā 2Ā 6
How Guest Calling works
A WhatsApp account holder creates a voice or video call link from the Calls tab by tapping the ā+ā button, then shares it with the intended participants. A guest opens that link in a desktop browser, enters a name and waits for the host to admit them. The person who creates the link must have a WhatsApp account; guests do not. Calls can include up to 32 people, and the announcement says the feature supports both one-to-one and group calls. 1Ā 2
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This is not simply an invitation to join a WhatsApp group. A guest joins the call itself, without being added to a group chat or saved in the hostās address book. The new option builds on call links that were already shareable outside a group chat, but removes the requirement that every participant sign in to WhatsApp. 2 6
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The host remains in control of entry. Every guest must be approved, even if the link creator has switched off the usual approval setting. The host can reject a request or remove a guest during the call. WhatsAppās Help Center says call links expire after 30 days without use and warns users to share them only with people they trust. 2
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Guests can use audio and video, share their computer screen, raise a hand and react. They appear in the participant list with ā(Guest)ā after their chosen name. They cannot see other participantsā phone numbers, send messages, add or remove people, or create a new call link. 1Ā 2Ā 3
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Meta describes calls as end-to-end encrypted, free and without a time limit. One detail in the current Help Center is less clear: it says link-based calls end after 60 minutes, while also explaining that a call can end if all WhatsApp users leave while a guest is waiting. The public launch announcement and the help instructions therefore do not state the duration in the same way. 1Ā 2
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A browser-first guest experience
For now, the account-free guest route is designed for a computer browser. The invited person does not need to install WhatsApp or create an account, but does need to open the call link on a desktop. That makes the feature convenient for someone joining from a work laptop or shared computer, while leaving a gap for guests who only have a phone. 1Ā 3
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WhatsApp says the feature is rolling out gradually, so not every account may see the option immediately. Independent coverage also reports that availability is being staged. The company says it plans to add Google and Outlook calendar integrations later in 2026, which could let users create call links directly from a calendar invitation. 1Ā 4Ā 5
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Closing Thoughts
The strongest part of Guest Calling is the lower barrier to participation. A host can bring someone into a conversation without asking them to install an app, register or exchange phone numbers first. The approval step also gives the host a chance to check who is waiting before opening the call.
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What does this look like in practice?
A tutor could send a call link to a student who is using a school computer and does not have WhatsApp. The student opens it in a desktop browser, types a name and waits in the lobby. The tutor approves the request, then shares a screen to review a worksheet. No contact entry or WhatsApp account is needed for the guest, although the tutor must create the link from an account and admit the guest.
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What makes this significant?
It widens WhatsApp calling beyond its existing account network without removing the hostās gatekeeping role. That could make quick meetings, lessons and family calls easier to arrange across different devices and apps. The desktop-only guest path and the conflicting public guidance about call duration are practical limits to keep in mind as the feature rolls out.
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