You want everyone on the call, but one friend has no interest in installing WhatsApp. WhatsApp guest calls now let you send that person a link so they can join through a computer browser without registering. Announced on October 14, 2026, the feature lets your guest enter a name and wait for you to admit them, with free calls and no time cap.
You see, the person starting the call still needs WhatsApp. The people you invite have fewer requirements, which makes a difference when your group uses different apps. Before you send that first invitation, here are the details worth knowing.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Announced | October 14, 2026 |
| Who can create a link | You need a WhatsApp account |
| What guests need | Your invitation link, a computer browser and a name |
| Maximum attendance | 32 people |
| Cost and time limit | Free, with no duration cap |
| Encryption | End-to-end encryption includes guests |
| Availability | Reaching the latest Android and iOS versions in stages |
What WhatsApp Guest Calls Are
WhatsApp guest calls let you bring someone into a conversation even if they have never registered for the service. You create an invitation through your account, while your guest joins through a browser. The feature supports individual conversations and groups, with room for up to 32 participants.
Why does that matter? If you already use WhatsApp, you can arrange a call without asking everyone else to download another app or open an account. Your friend, relative or colleague receives a link and joins as a guest once you approve their request.
There is some history behind this. WhatsApp introduced browser-based voice and video calling on July 28, 2026, giving account holders another way to make calls without downloading a desktop app. Guest calling takes browser access further by letting people participate without an account.
According to WABetaInfo, the feature uses the technology behind WhatsApp’s guest chats, which allow browser-based texting with non-users. WABetaInfo reported seeing guest calling in testing during September, before the October announcement.
Your guest still has a different set of permissions from yours. They can take part using tools such as screen sharing and reactions, but cannot message participants or add people themselves. Let’s start with what you need to do as the host.
How to Create and Share a WhatsApp Call Link
If you are arranging the call, you need a WhatsApp account and access to the guest-calling feature. Your invitees can use other apps to receive the invitation, so you are not limited to sharing it inside WhatsApp. Here is how you get the link into their hands.
- Update your WhatsApp app. Make sure you are using the latest version available for your Android phone or iPhone. WABetaInfo reports that guest calling is reaching both platforms gradually, so an update does not guarantee immediate access.
- Open the Calls tab. This is where you begin creating your invitation. You are making a link that you can pass along, rather than selecting a saved contact to ring directly.
- Tap the “+” icon. From there, choose the option to create a call link. You must have an account to complete this part, even when the people you plan to invite do not.
- Choose how to share it. You can send the invitation through a WhatsApp conversation, copy the link or use your phone’s sharing options. An email or SMS gives you a way to reach someone who does not use WhatsApp.
- Approve your guests. When someone opens the invitation and enters their name, they wait for your permission to enter. Admit each guest you want in the conversation, and remember that you can remove them afterward.
Cannot find the option yet? Check that your app is current, then allow for the staged release. Reports so far give no firm date when every account will have access.
How to Join a WhatsApp Call Without an Account
If you receive an invitation, you do not need to install WhatsApp or register before joining. You do need a computer browser, because that is the route described in WhatsApp’s announcement. Once the host sends your link, follow these steps.
- Open the invitation on your computer. Use the call link the host sent you. It can reach you through email, SMS or another app, so receiving it does not require a WhatsApp conversation.
- Let the browser load the call page. Your invitation takes you to the browser-based joining process. You can continue without downloading the WhatsApp app or creating an account.
- Enter your name. This gives the host a name to review when your request arrives. Use one they will recognize, since they need to decide whether to let you in.
- Wait for the host’s approval. Opening the invitation does not put you straight into the conversation. You stay in the waiting room until the host accepts your request.
- Join when you are admitted. Once approved, you can participate with the guest tools available, including sharing your screen, sending an emoji reaction or raising your hand.
What if you only have your phone nearby? WhatsApp’s announcement and early reports describe guests joining on computers, with no confirmation of phone-browser support. Use a computer for the documented process.
There is another detail to keep in mind. The announcement does not explain whether guests can enable their cameras, so you should not assume that browser access confirms guest video support.
What Guests Can and Cannot Do
Joining without an account gives you several useful call tools, though your permissions differ from the host’s. You can share something on your screen or react during the conversation, while admission and removal remain under the host’s control. Here is how the documented permissions compare.
| Feature | Host | Guest |
|---|---|---|
| Create an invitation link | Yes, through a WhatsApp account | No |
| Approve or remove guests | Yes | No |
| Share a screen | Yes | Yes |
| Use emoji reactions | Yes | Yes |
| Raise a hand | Not stated for hosts | Yes |
| Send messages | Host messaging is not explained | No |
| See participants’ phone numbers | Host access is not explained | No |
| Add other people | Can distribute the invitation link | Cannot add participants |
| End the call for everyone | Yes, according to WABetaInfo | No |
You do not have to give up control of admission just because you have shared an invitation. WABetaInfo reports that approval is mandatory for guests, and you can remove someone after admitting them.
As a guest, you also cannot view participants’ phone numbers. That lets you join the conversation without receiving everyone else’s contact details, while the host decides who stays on the call.
Limits to Know Before Sending a Link
You can invite someone without asking them to register, but a few limits still affect your plans. Before arranging a family catch-up or a group discussion, check what is available and what WhatsApp has yet to explain.
- Group size. You can have up to 32 people in the call. Keep that ceiling in mind before sending an invitation to a large group.
- Computer access. Your guests need a computer browser for the joining process WhatsApp describes. Phone-browser access has not been confirmed.
- Account requirement for hosts. You need a WhatsApp account to generate an invitation. Someone joining as a guest cannot create one themselves.
- Admission approval. Each guest must wait until you accept their request. WABetaInfo reports that you cannot turn off this requirement for guests.
- Staged release. The latest Android and iOS apps are receiving the feature gradually. You may need to wait even after updating.
- Guest video. The announcement does not clarify whether guests can use their cameras. Check before promising everyone a video conversation.
- Calendar support. The planned Google Calendar and Outlook plugin is still to come. For now, use the available link-sharing methods.
How Private Is a Guest Call
Letting someone join through a browser raises an obvious question. Does removing the account requirement change how private your conversation is? WhatsApp says encryption still applies, while host approval gives you control over admission, so consider both before sharing.
End-to-End Encryption for Guests
According to WhatsApp, guests receive the same end-to-end encryption protection during calls as registered participants. You do not lose that protection because someone enters through a browser without an account. Thurrott and WABetaInfo also report that guest participation remains encrypted.
WABetaInfo describes the browser creating a distinct identifier for the guest’s encrypted connection. You do not need to manage that process yourself. From your side, the practical task is deciding who should enter.
Tips for Sharing Call Links Safely
Encryption protects the conversation, while your admission decisions control who participates. Treat the invitation as something intended for particular people, and use the host controls when requests arrive.
- Share privately. Send the invitation directly to the people you want rather than posting it publicly.
- Remember forwarding. Someone can pass the link along, so receiving it does not automatically make a person an intended guest.
- Check names. Accept people you recognize and confirm an unexpected request before admitting it.
- Remove unwanted guests. You can take someone out of the call after they enter.
- Keep blocking in mind. Existing guidance on call links says contacts you have blocked cannot enter through your invitations.
Scammers love to send links too, so learn the warning signs in our phishing email examples guide, and check how to know if your phone is hacked if something feels off.
WhatsApp Guest Calls vs FaceTime, Google Meet and Zoom
You probably already have another calling service available, so why use this one? WhatsApp’s main advantage here is letting guests participate without registration while avoiding a duration cap. Compare that with the group sizes and free-call limits below before choosing where to meet.
| Service | Who can start a link call | What guests need | Free time limit | Max people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp guest calls | Someone registered with WhatsApp | Invitation, computer browser and entered name, followed by host approval | No duration cap | 32 |
| FaceTime links | Someone using an iPhone, iPad or Mac | Browser access and an entered name, followed by host approval | Not stated in the cited guide | Not stated in the cited guide |
| Google Meet free | Someone with a Google account | Guest requirements not detailed in the cited guide | 60 minutes with three or more people, or 24 hours for two | 100 |
| Zoom Basic | Someone registered with Zoom | Guest requirements not detailed in the cited pricing information | 40 minutes | 100 |
If you want a long conversation with a smaller group, WhatsApp gives you more time than the free group-call allowances listed for Meet and Zoom. You get fewer seats, though. Their 100-person capacity may matter more when your invitation list is large.
FaceTime already offers a similar browser invitation route for people using Android or Windows. You can enter a name without an Apple ID and wait for admission, although creating the invitation requires an Apple device.
The choice comes down to your group. Count the people, consider how long you expect to talk and check who can host before sending invitations.
Other Ways to Reach People Who Do Not Use WhatsApp
Sometimes you need to send a message rather than arrange a call. Other times, you want to speak with someone whose number you have never saved. WhatsApp has separate options for those situations, so choose the one that matches what you need. For regular texts with Android friends, our guide to RCS not working with one person can help too.
Guest Chats for Text Messages
If guest chats are available to you, you can invite a non-user into a browser-based text conversation. WABetaInfo reported a limited release across Android, iOS and Web in March 2026. You send an invitation, and the recipient enters a name to participate.
Keep your expectations narrow here. The reported feature supports text rather than media, uses end-to-end encryption and expires following 10 inactive days. You can also block the guest who joined your conversation.
You should check availability before relying on it. That report described access for a limited group of users, so you cannot assume everyone has it.
Calls From Numbers Not in Your Contacts
A call link lets you arrange a conversation without first exchanging phone numbers or saving someone as a contact. Previously, people without WhatsApp were directed toward downloading it. Guest calling removes that download requirement for the computer-browser process.
What about incoming calls from unfamiliar numbers? Those can still reach you, according to Tech Advisor. To stop them ringing, open Privacy, choose Calls and enable “Silence Unknown Callers,” while remembering that the attempts remain listed.
You can also use Privacy Checkup to review your choices for calls, messages and personal information. That helps you manage incoming contact separately from the guests you deliberately invite.
Calendar Invites Coming Later This Year
If you organize calls through a calendar, WhatsApp says another option is planned for later in 2026. A plugin for Google Calendar and Outlook is intended to let you include a WhatsApp call link in an event invitation. Here is what has been announced so far.
Your invitees are expected to be able to participate whether they have a WhatsApp account or join as guests. WhatsApp has not provided a release date, so treat this as a planned addition rather than something you can use immediately. Until it arrives, continue distributing links through the sharing options already available.
Should You Start Using Guest Calls
If you already use WhatsApp and regularly call people who do not, guest calling is worth trying once your account receives it. You can invite them without asking for another registration, and WhatsApp says your conversation remains encrypted and free of a duration cap. Start by checking whether your group fits the documented requirements.
You need no more than 32 participants, and your guests need computers for the confirmed joining route. Update your app, look for the call-link option and try it with someone you know. Once you have tested the invitation and admission process together, you will have a better idea of whether it suits your next group call.
FAQs
No, you can participate as a guest through a computer browser without installing WhatsApp or registering. Open the invitation, enter your name and wait until the host accepts you. The person creating that invitation still needs an account.
You should use a computer because guest access through a phone browser has not been confirmed. WhatsApp’s announcement describes joining from a computer, and early reports say the same. Avoid relying on your phone browser until support is clarified.
WhatsApp says you can use guest calling for free without a duration cap. That gives your smaller group more talking time than Zoom Basic’s 40-minute allowance or Google Meet’s 60-minute allowance for free calls involving at least three people. WhatsApp’s attendance ceiling is lower at 32.
You can create a WhatsApp call invitation and send it through email, SMS or another app without saving the recipient’s number first. If they do not use WhatsApp, they can request entry through a computer browser. As host, you approve their admission.
Yes, an unfamiliar caller can still contact you, so saved contacts are not your only possible callers. You can enable “Silence Unknown Callers” under Privacy and Calls to prevent those calls from ringing. They will still appear in your call history.
Yes, you can invite a non-user into a browser-based text conversation if your account has guest chats. WABetaInfo reported limited availability, so check before depending on it. The reported version excludes media and closes after 10 days without activity.
