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What Is WhatsApp Web and How Do You Use It?

WhatsApp Web brings your existing WhatsApp account to a computer browser. Link it from your phone, then message and call without keeping the phone online for every session.
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WhatsApp Web is WhatsApp in a computer browser, linked to your existing WhatsApp account. To use it, open WhatsApp Web, then use the Linked devices option in WhatsApp on your phone to link the browser—usually by scanning its QR code. Once linked, the computer can connect without the phone staying online for every session.

What is WhatsApp Web?

WhatsApp Web is the browser version of WhatsApp for an account already set up on a primary phone. It works as a linked companion device, not as a separate account. Your chats and account are associated with the same WhatsApp identity across the phone and linked device. WhatsApp describes the service in its About WhatsApp Web help article.

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WhatsApp Web is distinct from the WhatsApp desktop application: Web runs in a browser, while the desktop app is installed on the computer. Both are ways to use a linked device; choose Web when you want browser access without installing the desktop client.

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How do I use WhatsApp Web?

  1. Open WhatsApp Web on the computer. Go to web.whatsapp.com in a browser. The page displays a QR code when QR linking is available.
  2. Open linked-device settings on your phone. In WhatsApp, go to Linked devices, then select Link a device. Labels or their location can vary between Android, iPhone, and app versions.
  3. Authenticate and link. Unlock the phone or confirm your identity if prompted, then scan the QR code on the computer with the phone. Follow WhatsApp’s on-screen prompts to finish.
  4. Use the browser session. Once linked, your chats appear in WhatsApp Web. WhatsApp also documents linking by phone number; consult its current How to link a device instructions for the method and prompts available to your account.

Does your phone need to stay online?

No. A linked computer can connect independently, so the primary phone does not need to remain online for every Web session. Engineering at Meta described this change from a phone-dependent mirror to companion devices that connect independently in its July 14, 2021 article, How WhatsApp enables multi-device capability. WhatsApp’s current messaging page likewise says Web or desktop use can continue when the phone is off.

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The primary phone still matters: you need an active WhatsApp account there to register the account and link new companion devices. A Web session is not a way to create a separate WhatsApp account without a phone.

QR code or phone-number linking?

QR scanning is the direct option when the code is visible and your phone can scan it. Phone-number linking is an alternative documented by WhatsApp; the available prompts and exact steps can change with app version and account. Use WhatsApp’s current Help Center flow if the QR option is unavailable or not practical.

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What should you know about privacy and security?

WhatsApp says messages on linked devices remain end-to-end encrypted. Meta’s engineering explanation says messages are encrypted individually for devices in the sender’s and receiver’s device lists. Encryption protects messages in transit and across the linked-device system; it does not stop someone who can use an unlocked computer from viewing an open session.

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  • Link only a computer you trust, and lock it when you step away.
  • On your phone, open Linked devices and review active sessions. WhatsApp says you can log out a linked device remotely; remove any session you do not recognize or no longer use.
  • WhatsApp lists app lock support for Web and desktop clients in its security help. Use available protections alongside locking the computer.

Account safeguards and session management address different risks. WhatsApp announced stronger two-step verification and passkey support in August 2026; those measures help protect account access, but they do not replace checking which linked devices remain signed in. See the WhatsApp announcement for current account-security details.

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Can you make calls on WhatsApp Web?

Yes, according to WhatsApp’s July 28, 2026 announcement of calling on WhatsApp Web. The announcement describes end-to-end encrypted calls and transferring a call between Web or desktop and a mobile device or tablet. It also covers call links and a waiting-room option when approval to join is enabled. Availability and controls can vary during rollout, so check the current Web interface and WhatsApp’s calling announcement. A headset with a microphone is optional for computer calls; it is not needed to link the account or send messages.

When should you avoid using WhatsApp Web?

A personal, locked computer is usually the sensible choice for keeping a linked session. On a shared or public computer, another person may be able to access the session if it is left open. If you use one, sign out when finished and check Linked devices on your phone afterward to confirm the session is no longer active.

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