One of the most anticipated functions is finally coming to WhatsApp: the ability to use multiple accounts on the same device. This should greatly simplify the daily use of messaging!
Since October 19, WhatsApp finally allows everyone to activate a second account on the application from the same smartphone, as Meta proudly announces in a blog post. Indeed, until now, instant messaging only allowed one account per device. A real problem for users who might have wanted to partition their personal and professional lives while keeping only one device in order, for example, to avoid mixing up conversations or appearing connected when they don’t want to be disturbed. . Suffice it to say that this multi-account function, available since June in the beta version of WhatsApp Business on Android, was highly anticipated by the general public! Please note, however, that certain conditions must be respected in order to benefit from it.
WhatsApp multi-accounts: simplified management from a single device
Until now, managing two WhatsApp accounts on a single smartphone was possible, but somewhat restrictive. To do this, you had to use WhatsApp for one account and WhatsApp Business for the second, or duplicate the application, which is authorized on most Android devices accepting two SIM cards (see our practical sheet). Needless to say, it wasn’t very practical for switching between accounts. Otherwise, you had to use workarounds like Dual Messenger or Secure Folder. With the new messaging function, a simple menu allows you to configure multiple WhatsApp accounts, which are stored on the device until you decide to log out of the account. Practical for preserving your privacy, efficiently managing notifications and switching from one account to another without having to use parallel applications.
Please note, however, a few clarifications! If the function is called multi-account, you can currently only add one second account. In addition, since you absolutely need a telephone number to create it, you must have a smartphone that supports dual SIM. If so, then simply open the settings, tap the arrow to the right of its name and select “Add account”. All you have to do is follow the instructions on the screen.
This new feature comes as Meta is moving its instant messaging towards a more “social network” side, particularly with its news channels (Channels). The company is also working to enable screen sharing, but also to replace the phone number with a nickname and to replace passwords with access keys in order to strengthen the security and protection of user data. All that remains is to hope that this multi-account support will extend to companion devices linked to the main phone.