In short: Since July 2026, WhatsApp lets you make and receive voice and video calls from WhatsApp Web, one-to-one or in a group, with no app to download. In October 2026 it added guest calling, so people without a WhatsApp account can join through a link. These are WhatsApp’s own calling features. They are separate from the Business Calling API, which connects calls to a business platform.
Meta announced web calling on 28 July 2026 and said the features would roll out gradually. If you do not see them yet, your account may not have them.
What changed in July 2026
Meta’s announcement lists these changes:
- Calls from the browser. Make and receive voice and video calls on WhatsApp Web, one-to-one or in a group.
- In-call tools on the web. Screen sharing, reactions, and a Calls tab with your call history and favourites.
- Call transfer. Move an active group call between devices without hanging up.
- Waiting room. If you turn on “Require approval to join” on a call link, people wait until you let them in.
- QuickHD. High-definition video in the first few seconds of a call.
- Noise suppression. Removes background noise from your side of the call. You can manage it in the in-call settings.
Meta says web calls have no time limits and cost nothing. Its announcement also covers call privacy.
What changed in October 2026: guest calling
On 14 October 2026, WhatsApp announced guest calling. You can now invite someone who has no WhatsApp account:
- Go to the Calls tab and select the + icon.
- Create a call link and send it.
- The guest opens the link in a computer browser and types their name.
- The guest waits until the host lets them in.
Only people with a WhatsApp account can create a link. Calls with guests can have up to 32 people. Guests cannot see other people’s phone numbers, send messages or add others to the call, and the host can remove them at any time. They can share their screen, react and raise a hand.
WhatsApp also says that plugins for Google and Outlook calendars are coming later this year, so you can add a call link to an invite.
What this means for a business
These updates help most when one person takes a call at a desk:
- No app install. A work laptop that blocks new apps can still take calls in the browser.
- A larger screen. Walk a customer through a document or a screen from your computer.
- Meetings with people outside WhatsApp. Send a guest link to a supplier or client who does not use WhatsApp. They need a computer browser to join.
Check these points first:
- Business accounts. Meta’s posts describe WhatsApp in general. They do not say separately how the features work on the WhatsApp Business app, so test them on your own number.
- Your number’s setup. A number on the Business API works differently. If it is on the API alone, it is not a number you open on WhatsApp Web. If it uses coexistence, Meta says calls keep working in the Business app but not through the API.
- Ownership. A call to your number on WhatsApp Web is still a normal WhatsApp call. It has no built-in assignment or team call log, and nothing in these announcements changes that.
Does this replace the Business Calling API?
No. They do different jobs. Web calling gives a person a better way to take a WhatsApp call. The Calling API connects calls on a business number to a platform, so a team can share them and keep a record.
Our comparison of WhatsApp calling and Cloud API calling goes through the differences and when to use each one.
Running WhatsApp as a team? See how Risponse works, or read our comparison of WhatsApp calling and Cloud API calling.
