WhatsApp web video calls are starting to roll out, so you can place voice and video calls straight from a browser tab. You won’t need the desktop app for the basics anymore, at least if the feature has reached your account.
The first wave is limited to one-to-one chats. Open a conversation, tap the call icon, and you can start a voice or video call without leaving WhatsApp Web. Group calls aren’t part of this initial release.
This is a practical fix for people who live in the browser all day, and it’s especially useful on Linux, where WhatsApp still doesn’t offer an official desktop app.
The web version gets serious
WhatsApp has been building toward this for roughly a year, aiming to make the web experience feel closer to its desktop apps instead of a messaging-only companion. The big change is that calling now sits alongside chat in the same window, which reduces friction when you’re working on a laptop.
Security doesn’t shift with the move to the browser. Calls on WhatsApp Web keep end-to-end encryption, using the Signal protocol WhatsApp already uses across messages, calls, and status updates.
WhatsApp Web also supports screen sharing, but only during a video call. If your goal is to show a document or walk someone through a settings menu, you’ll need to start a video session even if you don’t plan to be on camera.
The next milestone is bringing group calling to the web. The same report points to group calls with up to 32 participants, plus extras like call links and scheduled calls, once that phase is ready.
What you should do now
WhatsApp has begun its gradual rollout of native voice and video calling for beta users. If you’re in the WhatsApp Web beta, the simplest check is inside a one-to-one chat. If you see calling controls, you can use the browser for voice and video calls, plus screen sharing during video.
If you don’t see it yet, you’re likely still waiting on the wider rollout, and WhatsApp hasn’t said which browsers or platforms get priority first. For now, treat web calling as the fast option for one-to-one chats, and keep the phone app handy if group calls are part of your routine.