WhatsApp Web has long offered a quick and easy way to access your chats from your browser, but its calling capabilities were always restricted to desktop and mobile apps. That’s changing today, as Meta announced support for voice and video calls on WhatsApp Web, alongside several handy calling features.
With the update, you can now make and receive calls directly from the WhatsApp Web interface. The calls will be free, end-to-end encrypted, and without time limits, Meta says.
The calling experience will be similar to that of mobile apps, with a dedicated tab for your call logs and the ability to share your screen on a video call. “Whether you’re a college student on a shared computer, using a work laptop that doesn’t allow app downloads, or simply prefer your browser, you can jump on a call without leaving the browser you’re already on,” Meta says.
What Else Is New on WhatsApp Web?
WhatsApp Web’s calling capabilities get some Zoom and Google Meet-like experiences as well. You can add up to 32 people on a video call and use a Waiting Room to gate-keep participants. Just share a WhatsApp call link with “Require approval to join” enabled.
The call quality also gets an upgrade with QuickHD and Noise Suppression. QuickHD enables high-definition video calling within the first few seconds of a call, while Noise Suppression cuts down background noise to enhance the speaker’s voice. Similar noise-reduction features are already built into smartphones, with Google’s Clear Calling and Apple’s Voice Isolation.
Another notable upgrade is Call Transfer. Like Apple’s devices, you’ll now be able to transfer a WhatsApp call from a phone to a desktop or vice versa.
All of these features are rolling out gradually to users worldwide. I was able to test them right away using WhatsApp Web on macOS.