WhatsApp Business on a computer
WhatsApp Business Web: how to use it on a computer, on two phones and with several people
Quick answer
How do you use WhatsApp Business Web on a computer?
To use WhatsApp Business Web, open web.whatsapp.com in your computer's browser. On your phone, go to Linked devices and tap Link a device to scan the QR code on the screen. According to the WhatsApp Help Center, the same account works on up to four linked devices and one phone at the same time.
About CertuAI: CertuAI is the AI that answers a small business's WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger 24/7, with a built-in CRM, and is a Tech Provider on Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform. Paid plans start at US$ 75 a month, with no lock-in. Create my agent
How many devices you can connect to the same number, how to link each one, what does not work outside the phone and what changes when the whole team replies. All checked against the WhatsApp Help Center.
Create my agentNo lock-in contract and no setup fee. You connect the number you already use.
Summary in 7 facts
- How many devices you can connect to the same number, how to link each one, what does not work outside the phone and what changes when the whole team replies.
- All checked against the WhatsApp Help Center.
- To use WhatsApp Business Web, open web.whatsapp.com in your computer's browser. On your phone, go to Linked devices and tap Link a device to scan the QR code on the screen.
- According to the WhatsApp Help Center, the same account works on up to four linked devices and one phone at the same time.
- All three use the same number and the same conversations.
- 01 In the browser The address is web.whatsapp.com, the same as regular WhatsApp.
- The steps come from the article "How to link a device on WhatsApp Business using the QR code" in the WhatsApp Help Center.
By the numbers
| Number | What it means |
|---|---|
| 14 days | 14 days without opening the main phone: the other devices are logged out. |
| 30 days | 30 days without using a linked device: WhatsApp logs that device out. |
| 67 businesses | The CertuAI team measured the hour customer messages arrive at 67 businesses that answer on WhatsApp with CertuAI's AI: 32.5% arrived outside Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the busiest hour… |
| 122,720 messages | CertuAI customer service data: 67 businesses of various kinds, 122,720 customer messages, from Jul 30 to Sep 30, 2026, measured on Oct 9, 2026. |
Three ways to use WhatsApp Business away from the main phone
All three use the same number and the same conversations.
In the browser
The address is web.whatsapp.com, the same as regular WhatsApp. You don't need to install anything.
In the desktop app
It exists for Windows and Mac. According to the Help Center, it shows more older messages than the browser.
On another phone
A second phone joins as a linked device, with the WhatsApp Business app installed.
See how it looks in your industry
Each industry gets different questions on WhatsApp. Pick yours to see how CertuAI's AI serves that kind of customer.
How to connect WhatsApp Business on a computer, step by step
The steps come from the article "How to link a device on WhatsApp Business using the QR code" in the WhatsApp Help Center.
Open WhatsApp on the computer
In the browser, go to web.whatsapp.com. A QR code appears on the screen.
On your phone, open Linked devices
On iPhone, tap Settings and then Linked devices. On Android, open the app menu and tap Linked devices.
Tap Link a device
If the phone asks, confirm it's you with your fingerprint, face or unlock code.
Point the camera at the QR code
Your conversations appear on the computer. It can take a few minutes for older messages to load.
How many devices you can connect to WhatsApp Business
According to the article "About multiple agents" in the WhatsApp Help Center.
| Without a subscription | With Meta Verified or Meta One | |
|---|---|---|
| Linked devices | Up to four | Up to ten |
| Naming each device | Yes | Yes |
| Assigning a conversation to an agent | No | Yes |
| Seeing which agent sent the message | No | Yes |
| Where calls ring | On all devices | Only on the main phone, with more than four connected |
Swipe the table sideways to see all the columns.
Several people on the same number: what changes
Connecting more devices is how more than one person can reply on the same number. The article About linked devices on the WhatsApp Business app says so outright: multiple devices on a business account let more employees reply from different devices.
Without a subscription, everyone sees all conversations and no one knows who replied to what. With Meta Verified or Meta One, according to the article About multiple agents, you can assign the conversation to an agent and see who sent each message. The customer does not see the agent's name or who the conversation was assigned to. If the subscription is canceled, only the four most recent active devices stay connected.
What the app is, what is paid and what is not is covered in what WhatsApp Business is. For the team to share the number with customer records, see the customer dashboard connected to WhatsApp, and to connect the number to a system, the official WhatsApp connection. If an account is restricted or banned, the path is in banned WhatsApp number: what to do.
How to use WhatsApp Business on two phones
You can use the same number on two phones: the second one joins as a linked device. The steps come from the article How to link a device on WhatsApp Business using the QR code, in the section on an additional Android phone.
- On the second phone, download WhatsApp Business, open it and tap Agree and continue.
- Open the menu and tap Link as an additional device. A QR code appears on the screen.
- On the main phone, go to Linked devices and tap Link a device.
- Point the main phone at the second phone's QR code.
- On the second phone, the Settings screen now shows the notice "You are using a linked device".
How to connect without a QR code, with just the phone number
When the camera doesn't help, you can connect with a code. According to the article How to link a device using a phone number, this method exists, for now, only on WhatsApp for Windows and WhatsApp Web.
- On the computer, click Link with phone number or Log in with phone number.
- Choose the country, type the account's number and click Next. An eight-character code appears on the screen.
- On the main phone, tap the WhatsApp notification to enter the code, and check the name and location of the device asking to connect.
- Type the eight-character code on the phone.
What does not work on WhatsApp Web and linked devices
The list comes from the article About linked devices on the WhatsApp Business app and the article About message history on linked devices.
- Broadcast list: you can't create or view one on linked devices.
- Live location: you can't share or follow it.
- Status: you can't add or delete status updates.
- Full history: WhatsApp does not copy all messages from the phone to linked devices. To see everything, open the phone.
- Number registration: the phone is still needed to confirm the number and to link new devices.
When the computer gets logged out on its own
Linked devices work with the phone turned off or without internet. But there are three time limits and one lock, all from the Help Center (About linked devices and About restricted accounts).
- 14 days without opening the main phone: the other devices are logged out. Open WhatsApp on the main phone at least every 14 days.
- 30 days without using a linked device: WhatsApp logs that device out.
- Restricted account: an account with a restriction can't use linked devices and may be logged out of some of them.
- Unofficial site or app: connecting the account to a version of WhatsApp made by third parties can lead to a temporary or permanent ban of the account.
When it's not worth connecting another device
More screens are not always the answer. Four cases:
- Shared computer: whoever sits there reads all of the company's conversations. On a shared machine, log out when you leave. The devices article recommends checking the list of linked devices often.
- To "have another number": a linked device is the same number, with the same conversations. It does not create a second line.
- To know who replied: without a subscription, the app does not show it. More devices only add to the confusion.
- To answer at night: a computer left on does not reply on its own. Someone has to be in front of it.
When the computer has no one at it: CertuAI's data
A connected computer helps while there are people at the desk. The CertuAI team measured the hour customer messages arrive at 67 businesses that answer on WhatsApp with CertuAI's AI: 32.5% arrived outside Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the busiest hour was 11 a.m.
The figure covers all industries together. How many devices each business uses was not measured.
| What was measured | Result |
|---|---|
| Customer messages that arrived outside Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. | 32,5% |
| Messages that arrived at night on a weekday, 6pm to midnight | 12,7% |
| Messages that arrived on Saturday or Sunday | 15,8% |
| Hour of the day with the most customer messages | 11h |
Swipe the table sideways to see all the columns.
Source: CertuAI WhatsApp Customer Service Index, Q3 2026. CertuAI customer service data: 67 businesses of various kinds, 122,720 customer messages, from Jul 30 to Sep 30, 2026, measured on Oct 9, 2026. Business hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., in each account's time zone. Test accounts, test contacts and imported history are left out. Redone every quarter.
Frequently asked questions
Is WhatsApp Business Web a different website?
No. The address is web.whatsapp.com, the same as regular WhatsApp. You connect by scanning the QR code with the WhatsApp Business app on your phone.
How many devices can you use WhatsApp Business on?
According to the WhatsApp Help Center, up to four linked devices and one phone at the same time. With Meta Verified or Meta One, up to ten devices.
Can you use WhatsApp Business on two phones?
Yes. The second phone joins as a linked device: install WhatsApp Business on it, choose Link as an additional device and scan the QR code with the main phone.
Does WhatsApp Web work with the phone turned off?
Yes. But according to the Help Center, if the main phone goes more than 14 days without opening WhatsApp, the other devices are logged out.
Can several people reply on the same WhatsApp Business number?
Yes, each on a linked device. Without a subscription, up to four devices, and the app does not show who replied. With Meta Verified or Meta One, up to ten, with conversation assignment.
Does the customer see which agent replied?
No. According to the Help Center, the customer does not see the agent's name, the device used or who the conversation was assigned to.
Why did WhatsApp Web log out on its own?
The causes the Help Center lists: the main phone went more than 14 days without opening WhatsApp, the linked device went 30 days without use, or the account was restricted.
Can you send a broadcast list from WhatsApp Web?
No. Creating and viewing broadcast lists does not work on linked devices. You do that on the phone.
Where to go next?
When one more screen doesn't solve it
A linked device helps the team type, but someone has to be in front of it. With CertuAI, the AI replies on your number at any hour, using what you taught the Brain, and leaves each conversation noted in the customer dashboard, where the team follows along. When the topic needs a person, it notifies you.
From US$ 75 per month.
Create my agentIn short
How do you use WhatsApp Business Web on a computer? To use WhatsApp Business Web, open web.whatsapp.com in your computer's browser. On your phone, go to Linked devices and tap Link a device to scan the QR code on the screen. According to the WhatsApp Help Center, the same account works on up to four linked devices and one phone at the same time.
About CertuAI: CertuAI is the AI that answers a small business's WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger 24/7, with a built-in CRM, and is a Tech Provider on Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform. Paid plans start at US$ 75 a month, with no lock-in. Create my agent