CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is rolling out a guest chats feature that will enable messaging individuals who do not possess a WhatsApp account.
The feature was spotted by WABetaInfo in the Android beta version 2.25.22.13 and should be released to Android and iOS applications in a future release.
How Guest Chats Work
The feature allows WhatsApp users to create an end-to-end encrypted chat link that can be sent through text message, email, or social media. When a recipient clicks on the link, they are prompted to a web-based version of WhatsApp Web that they can use to chat with a WhatsApp user without an account.
From this point, the non‑WhatsApp user can exchange and receive text messages end-to-end encrypted so that only the participants have the ability to read the conversation.
Feature Limitations
However, there are a few limitations as well. Guest chats have limited basic messaging, which means these chats cannot:
Send or receive media files, stickers, GIFs, or documents. Use voice notes, video messages, or calls, and join group chats
These constraints make the feature appropriate for basic one-to-one communication but not a complete WhatsApp experience.
WhatsApp retains end-to-end encryption for guest chats so that messages are kept confidential despite one party not having an official account.
The new guest chats might have something to do with the European Union’s interoperability requirements that compelled big messaging platforms to provide cross-platform communication features.
The feature is already in beta testing and has not yet been released to the public. An official launch date has not been announced by WhatsApp, though wider availability is anticipated in the near future.
