A WhatsApp account holder can now invite people who do not have WhatsApp. Create a voice or video call link from the Calls tab, enable Require approval to join, and send the link privately. The guest opens it in a computer browser, enters a name, waits in the waiting room, and joins only after the host admits them.
Treat the link like a bearer invitation: anyone who obtains it can try to enter. Keep it out of public posts, identify every arrival, remove unexpected participants, and replace a link that has been forwarded beyond the intended audience.
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What a WhatsApp guest call is
A WhatsApp call link is a reusable invitation that an account holder creates for a voice or video call. The important change announced by WhatsApp on October 14, 2026, is that the invitee does not need a WhatsApp account. The guest opens the invitation in a computer browser, types a display name, and waits for the host to approve entry.
One account holder must create the link. A person without an account cannot generate a link or invite another person directly. Once admitted, guests can participate in one-to-one or group calls with up to 32 people. WhatsApp says guest participants can share their computer screen, use a thumbs-up or heart reaction, and raise a hand. They cannot see other participants’ phone numbers, send WhatsApp messages, or add another person directly to the call.
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Personal calls made through call links are end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp says group calls are relayed through its servers by default and remain end-to-end encrypted. Calls themselves do not have a WhatsApp usage fee, although your mobile or broadband provider can charge for data.
What you need before creating the invitation
- An active WhatsApp account on the host’s phone or supported WhatsApp client.
- Access to the Calls tab and the New call link control.
- A private channel for sending the invitation to named guests.
- A way to recognize each expected participant, such as a known name or a message sent through an established channel.
- For a guest without WhatsApp, a computer with a supported web browser, a microphone, and (for video) a camera.
The documented guest workflow is browser-based on a computer. Do not promise a phone-browser experience to a guest who lacks WhatsApp; send that person the link with instructions to use a computer browser unless WhatsApp has separately confirmed support for the device they plan to use.
How to create and send a guest call link
- Open WhatsApp and select Calls. On the calls screen, use the plus or new-call control.
- Choose New call link. WhatsApp generates a unique URL for this invitation.
- Select the call type. Choose Video when cameras are needed or Voice when audio is sufficient. The choice is made when the link is created.
- Turn on Require approval to join. This places arrivals in a waiting room so the host can identify them before admission. It is the safer default for external guests, interviews, tutoring, appointments, and any call whose link might be forwarded.
- Choose how to distribute it. Use Copy link and paste it into a private message, or choose Send link via WhatsApp. If you use email or another service, address the message to the intended people rather than posting the URL in a public feed, forum, website, or large uncontrolled group.
- Tell invitees what to expect. Explain the scheduled time, the name they should use, that they will wait for approval, and that they must not forward the URL.
The URL is a different, secure link for each call invitation. WhatsApp’s Help Center warns: “Anyone with your call link can join your call, so only share it with people you trust.” Possession is enough to attempt entry, so the URL should be handled like a private meeting password even when approval is enabled.
How a guest joins without a WhatsApp account
- Open the invitation on a computer. The guest selects the link from the private message and follows the official WhatsApp web flow.
- Enter a recognizable name. A real name, agreed nickname, or other identifier lets the host match the arrival to the invitation list.
- Allow the browser to use the microphone or camera when prompted. For a voice call, microphone access is enough; a video call also needs camera access.
- Wait in the waiting room. A guest who has not been admitted is not yet part of the conversation. The host receives the request and decides whether to let that person in.
- Participate after admission. The guest can use the available call controls, including screen sharing, reactions, and raising a hand. The guest cannot create a second invitation, send WhatsApp messages, view other participants’ phone numbers, or add another person directly.
WhatsApp’s October 14, 2026 announcement states that “Anyone joining as a guest always needs the call host’s approval.” If the host does not recognize the name, the guest should contact the host through the original private channel instead of repeatedly attempting to join.
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How to screen entrants and keep the call private
Use the waiting room for any mixed or external audience
Require approval to join is the main screening control. With it enabled, the host can compare each waiting participant with the expected list before admission. It is especially useful when a link is sent to several households, contractors, students, interview candidates, or clients who may not know one another.
Send one private message per intended audience
Do not paste a call link into a public social post, an open forum, a publicly accessible calendar description, or a large group whose membership you do not control. Forwarding changes the audience without changing the URL. If several people need the link, use a private message addressed to that group and tell recipients not to forward it.
Ask guests to identify themselves
Before the meeting, give invitees a naming rule such as “use your full name” or “use the name from your appointment.” At call time, admit only names you can connect to an expected person. A familiar name is an aid, not proof of identity; when the subject is sensitive, confirm through the known chat, email address, or phone number you used to schedule the meeting.
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Remove or block an unexpected participant
If someone enters who should not be there, use the in-call participant controls to remove them. WhatsApp’s guest-calling announcement says guests can be removed at any time, and the Help Center documents removal and blocking behavior for call-link participants. Do not argue with an unknown entrant or reveal private information while deciding what to do; remove the person first, then notify the intended group through a trusted channel.
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Replace a link that has escaped
Stop using a link if it was posted publicly, forwarded to the wrong audience, or included in a message that reached more people than intended. Create a fresh call link and distribute only the replacement. WhatsApp says unused links expire after 30 days and may revoke links for privacy and security reasons, but waiting for automatic expiry is not a substitute for rotating a compromised invitation before the next call.
Approval on and approval off: choosing the right mode
| Option | Who can join | Host control | Best use | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guest call link with approval | WhatsApp users and non-WhatsApp guests, up to 32 after admission | Waiting room, admit, remove, and block controls | External guests, tutoring, interviews, and family calls | The URL must remain private and guests cannot start another invite |
| Guest call link without approval | People who possess the link, subject to WhatsApp’s controls | Less screening before entry | Low-risk calls with trusted invitees | Anyone who obtains the URL can attempt to join without the host’s identity check |
| Group call from a group chat | Members of the existing WhatsApp group | Group membership plus in-call controls | Established WhatsApp groups | It does not suit people outside the group or people without WhatsApp |
For a guest call, approval is the sensible setting whenever the link leaves your immediate household or a tightly controlled group. Turning approval off removes the waiting-room check; it does not make the URL private.
Participant limits and what guests can do
WhatsApp’s guest-calling announcement and its group-call documentation both state a maximum of 32 participants for one-to-one and group calls once guests are admitted. That is a total call capacity, not 32 additional guests on top of existing WhatsApp participants. Plan the invite list against the limit and leave room for the host and any co-participants who must be present.
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- Not available as a guest function: creating a call link, inviting another person directly, sending WhatsApp messages, or viewing other participants’ phone numbers.
- Host-only responsibility: admitting arrivals and removing or blocking people who do not belong in the call.
WhatsApp Web supports audio and video calling. In the web-calling announcement dated July 28, 2026, WhatsApp also describes the approval setting as a waiting room managed by the host in call settings.
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Protecting IP address information
WhatsApp provides an additional privacy option for calls. In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Privacy > Advanced > Protect IP address in calls. When enabled, calls are relayed through WhatsApp’s servers so the other party does not receive your direct IP address from the call connection.
Relaying can reduce call quality, so the setting is a privacy-versus-performance choice rather than a universal requirement. WhatsApp says group calls are relayed by default and remain end-to-end encrypted. Enable the setting when hiding direct network metadata matters more than minimizing the possibility of extra latency or reduced quality; leave it off only when you understand that trade-off and are comfortable with the normal call connection.
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No WhatsApp call fee
WhatsApp describes calls as free. That means there is no separate WhatsApp charge for creating or joining the call link. A mobile carrier or internet provider can still count voice and video traffic against a data allowance or charge for the connection. Guests should use a reliable Wi-Fi or broadband connection when their mobile plan is limited.
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Basic equipment is enough
A guest needs a computer browser, microphone, and—only for video—a camera. Headsets, webcams, privacy screens, and routers may improve comfort or reliability, but none is required by the documented guest-call process. Test the computer’s microphone and camera permissions before the scheduled start rather than buying equipment solely to use a link.
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Protect the screen as well as the link
Screen sharing is available to guests, which makes it useful for demonstrations but also creates a disclosure risk. Before sharing, close unrelated documents, notifications, password managers, and private browser tabs. Share a specific window when the browser offers that choice instead of the entire desktop, and stop sharing immediately after the demonstration.
Troubleshooting common joining problems
The guest sees a waiting screen for a long time
- Confirm that the host is in the call and watching the waiting room.
- Ask the guest to use the name agreed in the invitation so the host can recognize the request.
- Have the guest contact the host through the original private channel rather than forwarding the link again.
- If the link was copied incorrectly, send the original URL again from the host’s private message.
The browser cannot use the microphone or camera
- Choose the browser’s permission control near the address bar and allow microphone or camera access for the WhatsApp call page.
- Close another application that may already be using the microphone or camera.
- Reload the call page after changing permissions and rejoin the waiting room.
- For an audio-only call, disable the camera requirement and verify that the microphone is selected.
The call is unstable or the sound is delayed
- Move closer to the Wi-Fi access point or use a wired connection where practical.
- Pause large downloads, cloud backups, and video streams on the same network.
- Check whether Protect IP address in calls is enabled. Relaying improves IP privacy but may reduce quality.
- Turn off video temporarily when audio is the priority.
An unknown person appears in the waiting room
Do not admit the person to “see who it is.” Verify the expected list through a known contact method, then leave the request unadmitted or remove the participant if they entered. If the URL was shared beyond the intended audience, end the session, create a new link, and send only the replacement.
The link no longer works
WhatsApp says unused links expire after 30 days and that it may revoke links for privacy and security reasons. Create a new link from Calls > New call link and distribute it privately. A recently created link can also fail if a guest is using an unsupported device or an unfamiliar page rather than the official WhatsApp web flow.
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- Before sending: decide whether the call is voice or video, count the expected participants, and turn on approval if anyone is external or unknown to the whole group.
- When sending: address the message to named invitees, include the meeting time and naming rule, and state that the link must not be forwarded.
- Five to ten minutes before start: open the call, check your microphone and camera, and keep the waiting-room list visible.
- At each arrival: match the displayed name to the expected person and admit only a confirmed participant.
- During the call: monitor the participant list, remove or block an unexpected entrant, and remind guests to stop screen sharing when finished.
- After the call: stop using the link if its audience has changed or it was forwarded. For another meeting, generate a new invitation rather than assuming the old URL is still appropriate.
Calendar integration: planned, not a current guarantee
WhatsApp says it plans to roll out Google and Outlook calendar integrations later in 2026. The proposed plugin would let an account holder connect WhatsApp and add a WhatsApp call link to a calendar invitation, with invitees able to join with or without a WhatsApp account.
No firm availability date, regional coverage, or partner terms are stated. Treat this as a future feature, not a currently verified setup path. Until WhatsApp publishes availability for your account and region, create the link from the Calls tab and insert it manually into a private calendar invitation.
Quick decision guide
- Use a guest call link with approval when any participant lacks WhatsApp, the link will leave your immediate family, or the conversation is sensitive.
- Use a guest call link without approval only for a low-risk audience that you trust not to forward the URL.
- Use a group-chat call when every participant is already a member of the WhatsApp group and no outside guest is needed.
- Rotate the link whenever distribution expands, the URL appears in a public place, or an unknown person attempts to join.
- Enable IP protection when network metadata privacy is more important to you than the possibility of lower call quality.
The safest practical pattern is simple: create a fresh link, enable approval, send it privately, verify names in the waiting room, and replace the link if it escapes the intended audience.
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