WhatsApp is testing a new feature that could allow users to send messages to people who do not have a WhatsApp account. According to a report by WABetaInfo, the feature, called “Guest Chats”, is currently being rolled out to a limited number of beta users across Android, iOS, and the web. Guest Chats are still under development, and WhatsApp has not confirmed when the feature will be available to all users. This feature is designed for temporary interactions and currently supports only basic text messaging. Features such as group chats, media sharing, stickers, voice notes, photos, videos, documents, GIFs, and voice or video calls are not available.















How WhatsApp’s ‘Guest Chats’ feature works







Users can generate a secure invite link using this feature and share it via SMS, email, or other messaging services. When the recipient opens the link, they can either download WhatsApp or continue the conversation as a guest via WhatsApp Web in a web browser.



If the recipient chooses to join as a guest, they must enter a name, which can be a pseudonym. Once inside the chat, WhatsApp assigns a unique identifier that acts as the encryption key, ensuring that messages remain end-to-end encrypted. Users can also verify the chat's security using QR codes or matching security codes.



However, since guests are not verified WhatsApp users, there is no confirmation that the intended recipient is the one joining the chat. If someone else accesses an invite link, they may be able to join the conversation. To address this, WhatsApp labels such participants as “Guest” within the chat interface.



After ten days of inactivity, chats made with this feature will automatically expire. Users must create a new invite link after it expires to continue communicating. Additionally, visitors might not receive alerts for new messages, so they would have to manually refresh the chat in their browser.