WhatsApp Is Preparing Guest Calls So People Can Join Without an Account

WhatsApp is working on a new calling feature that could make its communication platform much more accessible. The company is developing guest calls, allowing people without a WhatsApp account to join voice or video calls.

The idea is simple: a WhatsApp user creates a call link and shares it with someone else. The recipient can open that link in a web browser and join the call as a guest without downloading WhatsApp or creating an account.

The feature was spotted in development on WhatsApp for iOS. It is not available to beta testers yet, so this should not be treated as a feature you can use today. WABetaInfo reports that WhatsApp is preparing the functionality for a future update.

Can You Really Join a WhatsApp Call Without an Account?

That is the main idea behind the upcoming guest calling feature.

Today, WhatsApp calls are primarily designed around users who already have access to the WhatsApp ecosystem. Guest calls could remove that barrier by allowing someone without an account to participate through a browser.

For example, imagine that you want to have a quick video call with a client who does not use WhatsApp.

Instead of asking the client to download the app, register a phone number, and set up an account just for one conversation, you could simply send a call link.

The recipient would open the link in a browser and continue as a guest.

That makes the experience considerably easier, especially for one-time conversations.

How WhatsApp Guest Calls Are Expected to Work

The process should be fairly straightforward.

1. Open the Calls tab in WhatsApp.
2. Create a new call link.
3. Choose between a voice or video call.
4. Share the link with the intended participant.
5. The recipient opens the link in a browser.
6. The recipient chooses to join as a guest.
7. The host approves the guest before they enter the call.

The important part is that the guest does not need to create a WhatsApp account first.

WABetaInfo also reports that the system is being designed to work with group calls. That could make the feature useful when only some participants use WhatsApp while others do not.

The Host Still Controls Who Can Join

Removing the account requirement creates an obvious question: what happens if the call link gets shared with the wrong person?

WhatsApp appears to have considered that problem.

People joining a call without an account will need approval from the host before they can enter. This gives the person who created the call control over incoming guest requests.

That is particularly important for professional conversations. A call link may be forwarded or accidentally exposed, so allowing every visitor to enter automatically would not be a great idea.

The approval mechanism provides an additional layer of control without bringing back the account requirement.

Are Guest Calls End-to-End Encrypted?

Privacy is probably the biggest concern with a feature that allows people without accounts to join WhatsApp calls.

According to WABetaInfo, guest calls are designed to remain end-to-end encrypted. Instead of relying on a WhatsApp account to generate the necessary identity, WhatsApp can use a unique identifier created from the guest's browser session to generate the encryption key.

This means that not having a WhatsApp account does not automatically mean giving up the privacy protections normally associated with WhatsApp calls.

The approach is similar to WhatsApp's guest chat technology, which allows people without an account to participate through a browser using a dedicated session.

Still, users should not treat call links casually. A secure call can still become inconvenient if its link is shared with people who were never supposed to receive it.

Fortunately, the host approval system is designed to prevent unwanted guests from entering freely.

Why Guest Calls Could Be Useful for Businesses

This is where the feature becomes more interesting.

Not everyone uses the same messaging platform. A customer might prefer another app. A freelancer may use a different communication service. A potential client might not have WhatsApp installed at all.

Requiring someone to create an account just to join a short meeting adds unnecessary friction.

A browser-based guest call solves part of that problem.

Businesses could potentially use the feature for quick customer consultations, client discussions, interviews, support sessions, or conversations with external partners.

WhatsApp has already expanded calling capabilities on the web, including audio and video calls directly through a browser. Meta officially announced WhatsApp Web calling in 2026, including one-to-one and group calls, screen sharing, and end-to-end encryption.

Guest calls therefore look like a logical next step: first bring calling to the browser, then make it possible for people outside the WhatsApp account ecosystem to join.

WhatsApp Is Becoming More Than a Messaging App

WhatsApp has been gradually expanding beyond traditional messaging.

Calls, communities, events, screen sharing, web calling, and other productivity features are turning the platform into a broader communication service.

Guest calls fit that direction particularly well because they remove one of the biggest barriers in digital communication: everyone having to use the same platform.

If the feature eventually becomes widely available, a WhatsApp user could host the conversation while participants simply join through their browsers.

That could be useful for people who do not want to create another account just to participate in a single call.

WhatsApp is also experimenting with other ways to make the platform more useful for everyday coordination. For example, the company is developing an Events Hub that brings event creation and management into a dedicated area of WhatsApp. You can read more about that development in our coverage of WhatsApp Events Hub.

When Will WhatsApp Guest Calls Be Available?

There is no official public release date yet.

The guest calling feature is currently under development on WhatsApp for iOS. WABetaInfo notes that the feature has not even been enabled for beta testing at this stage.

So, if you are using WhatsApp today and cannot find the option, there is nothing wrong with your account or device.

The feature simply has not been released.

As with many WhatsApp experiments, availability may also depend on a gradual rollout once the feature is ready.

Final Thoughts

WhatsApp's upcoming guest call feature could make voice and video communication significantly easier.

People without a WhatsApp account would be able to open a secure link in their browser and request access to a call without downloading the app or creating an account.

The host would still control who gets in, while the call would use end-to-end encryption designed around the guest's browser session.

For now, the feature remains in development and is not available for beta testing.

But if WhatsApp eventually releases it widely, the change could be bigger than it first appears. It would mean that a WhatsApp call no longer necessarily has to be a conversation between WhatsApp users.

Sometimes, the easiest way to bring someone into a conversation is simply to give them a link.