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WhatsApp finally lets you add two accounts to the same device
- WhatsApp is finally rolling out the ability to add a second account on a device.
- You will need a phone with dual-SIM support, either through dual physical SIMs, eSIMs, or a combination of the two.
WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging apps despite not being as feature-rich as some of its primary competitors. Slowly but surely, WhatsApp has been working on bringing over some of the most requested features to its platform. Earlier this year, the IM app brought over the ability to use your WhatsApp account on multiple devices. Now, the service has announced that it is rolling out the ability to use multiple WhatsApp accounts on a single device.
According to the announcement, WhatsApp is introducing the ability to have two accounts logged in at the same time in the official app. The change is rolling out starting today, so you should soon see it appear on your Android and iOS devices.
Previously, users have had to resort to using features like dual apps on certain Android skins and the WhatsApp Business app on iOS to use two numbers on WhatsApp simultaneously. This change makes it easy to use a separate account for work and another for personal contacts on the official app without going through complicated procedures. You won’t need to log out, and you won’t need to carry two phones either.
WhatsApp’s announcement mentions “multiple accounts,” but its instructions stay restricted to a second account only. Considering you need an active phone number for every account, it likely means that the app will cap you to two accounts on a phone, as phones don’t support three active SIM cards simultaneously just yet.
How to set up a second account on WhatsApp
To set up a second account on WhatsApp, you will need a second phone number and SIM card in your phone. This SIM card can be either a second physical SIM or an eSIM.
Once you have two phone numbers on your phone, follow these steps:
- Open WhatsApp.
- Go to Settings.
- Click on the arrow next to your name.
- Click “Add account” and follow the on-screen instructions to set up your second profile.
You can control your privacy and notification settings on each account.
If you can’t see the arrow next to your name, check in the Google Play Store/Apple App Store if you have a WhatsApp app update pending, and install the update. If it remains missing, you will have to wait for WhatsApp to roll out the feature to your phone.