WhatsApp has introduced a feature that removes one of its oldest limits. Guest calling lets a WhatsApp user include in a call someone who has no account on the platform at all, so a friend, a family member or an elderly person at home whose phone has no WhatsApp can still join.
The feature was introduced in October 2026, and it works for both one-to-one and group calls. Calls made through it are completely free and end-to-end encrypted, and there is no time limit on the call.
How Guest Calling Works
The caller opens WhatsApp, goes to the Calls tab, taps the plus icon and chooses the Call Link option. The link created is then shared with the person to be invited, who needs no account and no app install to use it.
The guest opens the link in a computer browser, enters their name, and waits. The guest is held in a waiting room and can join only after the call host approves. The guest cannot join directly, so the host stays in control of who enters the call.
Up to 32 people can join one call, which makes the feature usable for family calls, small team discussions and group chats that include people outside WhatsApp.
What Guests Can and Cannot Do
Guests get useful tools once they are in. They can share their computer screen to discuss documents, presentations and other work, react with a thumbs-up or heart emoji, and use the hand-raise option when they want to speak.
There are clear limits too. Guests cannot see the phone numbers of other people in the call, they cannot send messages on WhatsApp, and they cannot add another person to the call from their side. The call host can remove any guest at any time, and only a person with a WhatsApp account can create a call link in the first place.
Who the Feature Helps Most
The feature is aimed most directly at people who stay outside the app. An elderly parent or relative who has never installed WhatsApp can now join a family video call from a computer browser with nothing more than a link and a name.
It also helps in work settings, where a client or colleague without the app can be brought into a call for a document discussion without being asked to sign up first. The waiting room approval keeps that openness from becoming a security gap, since nobody enters until the host allows it.
