WhatsApp is more than a text chat service – you could use it to make voice and video calls for as long as I can remember. In fact, WhatsApp has even strengthened its video chat capabilities during these happy pandemic times and now allows you to chat with up to 50 people at a certain time. But you still have to do it through the mobile app, which is not as useful as you can do the same things on a desktop app.
I’ve seen reports that WhatsApp is finally testing voice and video chat calls for web and desktop version of its service. The feature is now being released to various users, which means you may not have a chance to play with it yet. However, convenience is worth a try; I could rather open a webcam to chat with my friends than stingily hold a phone for an hour or support it on something casual from my desk.
To get started, make sure you sign up WhatsApp beta on Android. Install the latest version of the application provided by the Google Play Store, then turn on your laptop or desktop computer. Download the file WhatsApp desktop application, because now you are more likely to get the function there than on the web-based version.
You will need to open WhatsApp on your phone to scan a QR code on WhatsApp Desktop, which is how the two connect. Then, if you’re lucky, you should see new icons for video and voice chats in any existing conversation in the desktop version. You can’t lose them if you have access, because each icon will say “beta” in the upper right corner.
Unfortunately, I lost the WhatsApp lottery because I only have the default conversation screen (on the desktop and web – I checked both, just in case). I circled around the icons would appear, for those lucky enough to have the characteristic:
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My game plan is to come back every few days to see if I’m lucky enough to get the launch. If it happens that WhatsApp overturns this switch for everyone at some point in the near future, I will definitely report.