WhatsApp is initiating the rollout of a new feature to beta testers, enabling users to add multiple accounts to the widely-used messaging app. Currently, adding a second account on a smartphone requires users to install a clone of WhatsApp, a functionality that is available on select Android devices. The newly introduced multi-account feature, now present in the latest beta version, includes an account switcher, allowing users to seamlessly toggle between their primary account linked to the smartphone and any additional WhatsApp accounts.
As reported by WABetaInfo, a site that tracks WhatsApp developments, the Meta-owned messaging platform has recently made the multi-account feature available to a select group of beta testers who have updated to WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.23.17.8. The feature is expected to expand to a wider audience over the forthcoming weeks. However, Gadgets 360 was unable to test this functionality on the latest beta release, indicating that the feature might be activated through a server-side switch.
Once activated, WhatsApp will feature a small downward-facing arrow icon next to the QR code option in the settings menu. Tapping this icon will reveal a popup card displaying the primary account alongside an Add account button. Users can click this button to add an account registered to another device, with recent messages syncing directly to their phone.
A screenshot shared by WABetaInfo displays this popup card, which also serves as an account switcher. Users will see the phone number associated with each WhatsApp account, making it easy to differentiate between accounts, which will also include profile photos and usernames. This feature was initially noted in development back in June.
Previously, WhatsApp introduced a “companion mode,” which allowed users to set up an iPhone or Android device as a secondary device, enabling the same account to be utilized across multiple devices. However, users are still constrained to using a single account per device. Certain Android smartphones, including models from Samsung, offer a “clone” feature that permits the addition of a second WhatsApp account on a single device.
The newly available multi-account feature, currently accessible to select beta testers, aims to facilitate easier access to personal and work-related conversations for users with separate accounts. Notifications and conversations will be displayed separately, enhancing the user experience, according to the feature tracker.
