What you need to know
- The latest beta update for WhatsApp's business-focused app version contains evidence that multi-account support is in the works.
- This long-overdue feature is apparently under development for WhatsApp Business on Android for the time being, and is not yet available to beta testers.
- It's possible that the upcoming feature will be available on the regular version of WhatsApp as well.
WhatsApp could soon introduce a long-awaited functionality that will make it easier to add multiple accounts on the same device without having to clone the app.
As spotted by WABetaInfo, the latest beta release for WhatsApp Business on Android (version 2.23.13.5) includes hints that multi-account support is under development. This feature, which allows you to sign in to multiple accounts on a single device, has long been available on many of the top messaging apps, including Telegram and Facebook Messenger.
Currently, WhatsApp users need to clone the Meta-owned app on smartphones that support app cloning functionalities in order to run multiple accounts on the same phone. By introducing multi-account support, the service will eliminate the extra work users have to do in order to manage different accounts.
Since the feature is apparently under development, it is not yet available to beta testers. While this capability has been spotted in the app's business-focused variant, it is very likely that it will be added to the regular WhatsApp version on Android as well.
Multi-account support will be a useful feature for people who have multiple WhatsApp accounts for different purposes. For example, you could have one account for personal use and another for work. This would allow you to keep your personal and work messages separate without needing multiple phones or resorting to app cloning services.
While the feature makes WhatsApp appear to be lagging behind its rivals yet again, it is still a welcome addition to the service's growing set of features. More recently, the app received a long-overdue update that allowed you to sign in to your account on up to four different smartphones.
So, while WhatsApp still has a lot of catching up to do, the upcoming functionality will be another step forward in closing the gap with the competition.
