WhatsApp has just introduced a new feature, the Companion mode, that lets you use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones at the same time.
The social media platform calls the new feature, Companion mode because it allows you use one account on multiple phones.
According to WhatsApp, the companion mode allows users link up multiple phones and use the same account on all the devices at the same time.
After WhatsApp released the feature to WhatsApp Beta for Android, it is now releasing it to the general public who use Android phones alone.
Eligibility:
Although WhatsApp is now rolling out this feature to everyone that install the latest stable version of WhatsApp from the Google Play Store, those using iOS cannot enjoy this feature yet.
This WhatsApp companion mode feature is an improvement on the multi-device feature which WhatsApp introduced last year.
The multi-device mode allows users to message across all their devices while maintaining the same level of privacy and security.
The companion is available for all users that install the latest version of WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business, and it has started rolling out to users globally over the coming weeks.
How The WhatsApp Companion Mode Feature works:
According to the social media platform, the companion mode feature that allows using same account on multiple phones works by letting users link up their multiple phones.
It said you can link up a maximum of four smartphones at the same time just like when linking with WhatsApp on web browsers and desktop apps.
WhatsApp Companion Mode Feature
It said that for every phone you link, such phones connect to WhatsApp independently. This makes for personal messages, media, and calls to be end-to-end encrypted.
However, to ensure security, WhatsApp said the companion mode feature automatically logs out all phones linked to the primary device if the primary phone is inactive for a long period of time.
Why the companion mode feature is useful:
According to WhatsApp, the feature makes it very easier for users to switch between phones to use the app.
The feature allows users continue their chats on other phones after leaving a conversation on, say, primary phone.
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Also, this feature is especially useful for small business owners, as additional employees can now respond to customers directly from their phones under the same WhatsApp Business account.
How To Link up Multiple Phones On The WhatsApp Companion Mode:
To link up your four smartphones so that you can use the same account on the phones at the same time, you have to follow these steps:
- On your secondary Android mobile phone, download the latest update of WhatsApp Messenger or WhatsApp Business from the Google Play Store.
- Tap the overflow menu within the registration screen and you should finally see the option “Link a device”.
- Open WhatsApp on your primary device, tap Settings > Linked devices.
- Point this device to your secondary mobile phone to capture the QR Code.
Note that when you link your WhatsApp to other phones, your chat history gets synced across all the linked devices.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp also mentions that a new alternative and more accessible way to link to companion devices will be introduced over the coming weeks.
It said users will be able to enter their phone number on WhatsApp Web to receive a one-time code, which they can use on their phone to enable device linking, instead of scanning a QR code.
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