For years, every person on a WhatsApp call needed a WhatsApp account. That changed this week: WhatsApp, owned by Meta, announced Guest Calling on October 14, 2026. Anyone with a WhatsApp account can now create a call link, and people without an account can join voice and video calls straight from a web browser, no download and no sign-up. Here is how it works, on both sides.
What you need
To create a guest call: a WhatsApp account and the latest version of the app. Open the Play Store on Android or the App Store on iPhone, search for WhatsApp, and tap Update if the button is there. Reports from WABetaInfo say the option is arriving in recent Android and iPhone versions first, so an outdated app is the usual reason the option is missing.
To join as a guest: a computer with a microphone (and a camera for video), a supported desktop browser, Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Microsoft Edge, and the name you want others to see. WhatsApp's announcement describes guest access through a computer browser only, so a guest with just a phone may not be able to use it. Guests also need a working internet connection and permission for the browser to use the microphone and camera.
How to create a guest call link (host)
Only someone with a WhatsApp account can create a call link. Here are the steps:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone and go to the Calls tab.
- Tap the + icon and choose to create a call link. Pick video or voice for the call type.
- Copy the generated link and share it with the people you want to invite, by SMS, email or any other app. Share it only with the intended participants, especially for private conversations.
- Join the call yourself from the link. When a guest arrives, they land in a waiting room; admit each person by name before they can enter.
As host you stay in control: every guest must be approved before entering, and you can remove anyone at any time. Later this year, WhatsApp plans to add Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook integration so call links can be generated directly inside calendar events.
How to join a WhatsApp call as a guest (no account)
If someone sent you a guest call link, follow these steps:
- Open the link in a browser on your computer. There is no app to download and no account to create.
- Type the name you want shown on the call. You will appear to others as your name followed by "(Guest)".
- Allow the browser to use your microphone (and your camera for a video call) when it asks.
- Tap to request entry, then wait in the waiting room until the host admits you.
Once inside, you can talk, use video, share your screen, react with a thumbs-up or a heart, and raise your hand to speak. Guests cannot see phone numbers, send chat messages or invite others, and calls hold up to 32 people, are free, encrypted and have no time limit.
Tips and common problems
The create-link option is missing: update WhatsApp from the Play Store or App Store. The feature is new and rollout may vary by device and region.
The link will not open on a phone: switch to a laptop or desktop with an up-to-date version of Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox. WhatsApp's announcement only describes joining from a computer.
No microphone or camera prompt: check the browser's site permissions for the call page. In Chrome, click the camera icon in the address bar and allow access, then reload.
Stuck in the waiting room: the host must be on the call and approve you. Ask the host to check the waiting room, and note that approval is mandatory, not optional.
Privacy on bigger calls: a call link can be forwarded to people you never invited, so check each waiting-room name before admitting them, and treat the waiting room as the real security checkpoint.
Privacy for guests: one real advantage is that guests never see anyone's phone number. A client, tutor or distant relative can join your call without you sharing your number with anyone else.
The bottom line: Guest Calling removes the last real barrier to using WhatsApp for calls with people outside your contacts, tutors, clients, classmates, relatives who refuse to install the app. The host does one extra tap to make a link, the guest needs only a browser and a name, and the host's waiting room keeps the call under control.