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Meta says WhatsApp users can now invite people without WhatsApp accounts to join calls through a link in a computer browser. Hosts approve guests before they enter, and guest calling supports one-to-one and group calls of up to 32 people.
Meta announced WhatsApp guest calling on October 16, 2026, allowing people with WhatsApp accounts to invite non-users into calls using a link. Guests can join from a computer browser without creating an account, but the host must approve each guest before they enter; calls can include up to 32 participants.
To create an invitation, a WhatsApp user opens the Calls tab, selects the plus icon, creates a call link and sends it to others. Guests open the link in a computer browser and enter a name to request entry. Meta says the feature works for one-to-one and group calls, with a maximum of 32 people once guests have been admitted.
Meta says guest calls are free and end-to-end encrypted, with no time limits. Guests can use selected in-call tools, including screen sharing, emoji reactions and raising a hand. The company says guests cannot see other participants’ phone numbers, send messages or add more people directly to the call.
Hosts retain control over entry and participation: guests wait until approved and can be removed from the call at any time, according to Meta. Only people with a WhatsApp account can create call links. The announcement does not specify which browser versions or computer operating systems are supported.
Inviting Callers Without Accounts
The change lowers a practical barrier to joining a WhatsApp call: an invitee no longer needs to install the app or register an account to participate as a guest. That may help people use WhatsApp for work meetings, classes or tutoring when some participants do not already use the service.
It also preserves a distinction between joining a call and managing one. Account holders create the link and decide who gets in, while guests have fewer ways to interact with the wider WhatsApp service. Those controls may make guest access easier to manage, though Meta has not provided details about how long links remain valid or whether hosts can set additional restrictions.
Meta describes the calls as end-to-end encrypted, but the announcement gives no technical explanation of how guest access is incorporated into that protection. The company’s privacy statement is therefore a company claim, not a substitute for technical documentation about the feature.
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How WhatsApp Call Links Work
WhatsApp’s announcement presents guest calling as an addition to its existing call-link approach. The new capability changes who can use a link: non-account holders may now join, while account ownership remains necessary to create the invitation. Meta says the guest experience runs through a computer browser.
The rollout is part of what Meta describes as a series of calling updates made this year. The company also announced planned Google and Outlook calendar integrations: later in 2026, users are expected to be able to create a WhatsApp call from a calendar invitation after installing a WhatsApp plugin and connecting their account. Meta has not said when those integrations will be available.
““With guest calling, you can now invite anyone to join a WhatsApp call — even if they don’t have a WhatsApp account.””
— Meta
Browser Support and Rollout Details
Meta’s announcement does not give a country-by-country rollout schedule, name supported browsers or operating systems, or explain whether the feature is available to all users immediately. It also does not say how long a call link remains usable, whether links can be revoked, or what information guests must provide beyond a name.
The company says calls are end-to-end encrypted, but has not included technical details about guest participation or published information in this announcement on how encryption works for browser-based callers. The planned calendar tools are also described only as arriving later in 2026, with no firm date or plugin availability details.
Calendar Tools Planned Later This Year
People can try the guest-call process by creating a link from WhatsApp’s Calls tab and sending it to invitees, subject to the feature being available on their account. Guests will need to open the link in a computer browser and wait for the host to admit them.
Meta says Google and Outlook calendar integrations are planned for later in 2026. The company has not announced a launch date or additional rollout milestones. More detail on browser support, link controls and the technical handling of guest-call encryption would clarify how the feature works in practice.
Key Questions
Can someone join a WhatsApp call without an account?
Yes. Meta says invitees can open a call link in a computer browser, enter a name and request to join without a WhatsApp account. The host must approve them.
Who can create a WhatsApp guest-call link?
Only WhatsApp account holders can create a call link, according to Meta. They can send it to people who do or do not have accounts.
How many people can join a guest call?
Meta says guest links support one-to-one and group calls with up to 32 participants once guests have been admitted.
What can guests do during a call?
Meta says guests can use features including screen sharing, emoji reactions and raising a hand. Guests cannot send messages, see other participants’ phone numbers or directly add people to the call.
When will WhatsApp calendar integrations arrive?
Meta says Google and Outlook calendar integrations are planned for later in 2026, but it has not provided a specific release date.
Source: rss
