Katarzyna Petru
Meta has finally done something that iPhone users have been waiting for for years. In the latest version of WhatsApp available in TestFlight, an option for multiple accounts in one app has appeared. No more workaround, WhatsApp Business and hacks — everything is starting to work natively.
To start: only two accounts
As noted by the WABetaInfo service, the test version of WhatsApp introduces the ability to add a second account directly from the app's settings. These are the first public tests of a feature that could previously only be observed in the code.
After installing the beta version, some users will notice a new section “Account List” in the settings or an additional button next to the QR icon. It is there that a second account is added — without a second phone and without switching to WhatsApp Business. At this moment, WhatsApp allows pairing a maximum of two accounts.
How does adding a second number work?
WhatsApp offers three options:
New account – you log in with a number that has never been used on WhatsApp before.
Existing account – for example, the one you used on another device or in the Business app.
Companion account – logging in via QR scan, after which the app automatically synchronises chats and settings.
In practice, this means that WhatsApp finally allows you to manage both your personal and business number in one place, without creating hybrid configurations.
Separate settings, history and notifications
This is an important detail: each account has its own set of preferences – chat history, backup configuration, notification sounds, wallpapers, and other settings. Notifications will also be clearly labelled, indicating which account they come from. There will no longer be situations where you have to guess which number just received a message.
When is the official premiere?
Meta has not provided any date, but the feature appears to be well-developed — everything suggests that the debut is really close. It's a small change, but for many people, it's absolutely groundbreaking. WhatsApp on the iPhone is finally starting to catch up with Android.
