WhatsApp multi-device features: Linking brings advantages, but users will face issues

WhatsApp multi-device beta test: Two big changes are coming to WhatsApp, the world’s most popular encrypted messenger service – the ability to encrypt cloud backups to iCloud and Google Drive, and multi-device support. The first WhatsApp feature will allow users' chats to be securely backed up to the cloud, while the latter will allow users to use WhatsApp on multiple devices, including WhatsApp Desktop, WhatsApp Web, and on a Portal device. We recently reported that WhatsApp was rolling out the multi-device beta testing for the upcoming feature to iOS users on the stable (non-beta) channel.

While the Facebook-owned company still has to iron out bugs and issues with the WhatsApp multi-device support before it is rolled out to users, the arrival of the beta testing for regular users is an indicator that the feature is inching closer to a proper release. Users who set up multi-device support can connect up to four other computers using WhatsApp Desktop, WhatsApp Web, and Portal. However, they will not be able to log on to WhatsApp from another phone.

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WhatsApp multi-device advantages

The biggest advantage of true WhatsApp multi-device support is the ability to use and access your WhatsApp messages on your other devices, even when your primary device (your phone) is completely offline – for example when it has no internet connection or the battery is depleted. Users will also be able to use WhatsApp on more than one device at a time – currently, the device logs you out of WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp Desktop if you sign in to the service on another computer or browser window.

WhatsApp multi-device feature problems

However, users will also face challenges while using the WhatsApp multi-device feature, at least at the moment. For starters, you cannot pin chats (or access pinned chats) join or view group invites, or view a user’s live location. Those using WhatsApp Business will reportedly not be able to edit their profile details from their computer and will need to pick up their smartphone to do so.

Since WhatsApp has had to rework its technology to allow for true multi-device functionality, the company says users who are calling people using an older version of WhatsApp will not be able to contact them – not even WhatsApp calls.

However, all of these problems with the new WhatsApp features are expected to be resolved before the WhatsApp multi-device support officially exits the beta phase and rolls out to the general public in the future.