WhatsApp is finally letting you make group voice and video calls from its web client. The feature has been missing even after the platform added one-on-one calling support earlier this year, but that changes now.
WABetaInfo reports the rollout has started for beta testers, and you can kick off group calls straight from your browser without needing your phone to do the call.
WhatsApp Web Group Call
WhatsApp Web’s group calling feature supports up to 32 people at once, which puts it on the same level as the mobile and desktop apps. No more being capped out just because you’re on a browser.
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The update also brings call links into the mix. You can share a unique URL to invite people into a group call without having to add them manually.
There’s also a waiting room option for situations where you want to control who joins and when. And if you need to show your screen during a group video call, that works too.
Group calls on WhatsApp Web get the same end-to-end encryption as individual calls, using the Signal protocol. You don’t have to turn it on or configure anything. It’s active the moment you start a call.
WhatsApp Web Group Call And Linux Users
This update matters most for Linux users. WhatsApp has never released a desktop app for Linux, which meant the only way to join a group call was to pick up your phone. That workaround is no longer necessary. You can now join group calls directly from your browser, no phone required.
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For now, only WhatsApp Web beta users can access group calling. WABetaInfo confirms the rollout is still in progress, and more users should get it over the next few weeks. WhatsApp hasn’t said when it will go live for everyone else.
