WhatsApp now lets anyone join calls via a link, even if they don’t have an account. Hosts approve guests and control who joins.
WhatsApp now lets you invite people to a call even if they don’t have WhatsApp. The host must approve each guest, who then waits in a virtual lobby before joining. Guests can join from a computer browser and use screen sharing and reactions, while numbers stay private. WhatsApp is also testing calendar integrations that would add call links from Google Calendar and Outlook later this year.
This change helps you bring in clients, classmates, or family without forcing everyone to install the app. It keeps control with the host and preserves end‑to‑end encryption.
What to do now: check the Calls tab for the new guest calling option, and watch for calendar integrations in the coming months.
WhatsApp is taking on Zoom and Google Meet with a new guest calling feature. The company says you can invite anyone to join a call, even if they don’t have a WhatsApp account. The guest still needs the host’s approval before joining, and they’ll wait in a virtual waiting room until admitted.
In practice, this means you can share a link with coworkers, students, or family members who don’t use WhatsApp and still bring them into a video or voice call. On the host side, you retain control: you approve each guest, and you can remove someone from the call at any time. Guests won’t see other participants’ phone numbers or messages, which helps preserve privacy on a shared call.
WhatsApp says calls can include up to 32 participants. Guests can join from a computer browser without installing the app, which lowers the barrier to collaboration for people who prefer a desktop experience. Guests also gain access to standard call features like screen sharing, hand-raising, and emoji reactions.
The feature isn’t live yet everywhere in the world, but WhatsApp says it’s rolling out today. It’s designed to work alongside existing in-app calls, giving teams and classrooms a familiar, end-to-end encrypted option for external guests.
Beyond guest calling, WhatsApp is testing calendar integrations. The company is working on plugins that would let you create WhatsApp call links directly from Google Calendar or Outlook and add them to event invitations. That capability is still in the works and not yet available to everyone.
Why this matters: for many users, the biggest roadblock to quick collaboration is friction, asking someone to install an app just to join a call. Guest calling lowers that barrier while preserving end-to-end encryption and the host’s control. It also blends more naturally with work and study routines, where you might need to include people who aren’t WhatsApp users.
What it doesn’t change: WhatsApp calls remain private between participants, and hosts decide who gets in. If you routinely host external guests, you’ll want to think about how you manage the waiting room and who you allow into your conversations.
Guest calling works for both one‑to‑one and group calls. The host is the person who creates the link and controls admission. Guests enter a waiting area, and the host can approve or reject them individually. Private numbers aren’t exposed to guests, and the host can end the guest’s access at any time.
If you’ve ever tried to bring in a teacher, client, or relative who doesn’t use WhatsApp, this feature makes it easier. You’ll share a link, the other person clicks it, and you see a prompt to join once the host approves them. The ability to join from a browser saves a step for non‑smartphone users and those who don’t want to install anything extra.
For privacy-conscious readers, the guest experience is designed to keep phone numbers hidden from non‑participants, and hosts still control who gets in. It’s a useful option for small business meetings, classrooms, or group chats with a mix of app users and non‑users.
Look for the feature to appear in your WhatsApp Calls tab soon if it isn’t there yet. Expect the calendar integrations to roll out in the coming months, with a similar invitation flow from your calendar to your WhatsApp call link.
Anyone with the link can join, but they must be approved by the host first and will wait in a virtual waiting room.
No. Guests cannot see other participants’ numbers or messages.
Yes. Guests can use screen sharing, hand‑raising, and emoji reactions after joining.
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