WhatsApp incoming call concept
Voice and video calling are coming directly to WhatsApp Web, and you can try the beta now. No app download. No installation. No switching devices. You’ll be able to click a phone or camera icon right from the chat window and start a call.
Just getting started with WhatsApp Web? Read our step-by-step guide.
To make video and voice calling work, WhatsApp Web simply asks for permission to use the microphone and camera through the browser. Incoming calls appear as on-screen notifications you can accept or decline. During a call, you can mute yourself, turn video on or off, and end the call from the call controls. There’s no auto-answer, and you can’t disable the speaker during video calls.
This isn’t a stripped-down version of calling, either. WhatsApp is bringing over the same calling experience found in its desktop app. You can make group video calls with up to 32 people, switch between speaker view and grid view, raise your hand during a call, keep chatting in picture-in-picture while on video, and even share your screen during a voice call.
If you start a voice call and realize it would be easier to show something, you can tap the camera icon and request to switch to video without hanging up. The other person can accept or decline the switch.
I’ve been testing this in the beta, and there’s one caveat: the video quality is noticeably worse than what you get from Zoom, FaceTime, Google Meet, and even the Windows version of WhatsApp, which is serviceable but not great. The window is tiny, and the video is soft and heavily compressed. Hardly impressive. Hopefully, that improves before the full rollout, because the convenience here could be huge. If the quality catches up, this becomes a very real option for quick, casual video calls when you don’t want to set up a meeting link.
If you want to try it now, you can. In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Help and feedback > Join the beta. Once enabled, the call icons appear in WhatsApp Web chats.
Having trouble setting up WhatsApp Web? Consult our guide to fixing WhatsApp Web problems, covering "Phone Not Connected" errors, slow message sync, QR code scan errors, frequent logouts, and more.
[Image credit: Suzanne Kantra/Techlicious via ChatGPT]
