The WhatsApp application has expanded the scope of its calling service by launching a new feature that allows users to invite anyone to a voice or video call via a direct link, even if the other party does not have a WhatsApp account.
Mature
The new feature, called “Guest Calling,” was officially announced on October 14, 2026, and allows the creation of a link to the call and sharing it with others, while the guest can open the link directly through the computer browser, enter his name, and then request to join the call without the need to create a WhatsApp account.
Consent of the call owner before entering
Despite the ease of joining, the guest cannot enter the call directly. He must first go to a waiting room, provided that the call owner agrees to his entry.
The host can also remove the guest from the call at any time, in a move aimed at giving the user more control over who joins via shared links.
WhatsApp also took into account the privacy aspect, as guests cannot view the phone numbers of other participants, send them messages, or add new people to the call directly.
Group calls of up to 32 people
Guest Calls supports one-on-one conversations and group calls with up to 32 people.
WhatsApp confirms that calls are free and do not impose a time limit on the call, in addition to continuing to protect them with end-to-end encryption, which is the security feature mainly used in application calls.
The guest is not limited to just watching or hearing the call, as he can use a number of basic tools, including sharing the computer screen, raising his hand to participate, and interacting using emojis.
How does the feature work?
A WhatsApp user can create the link by going to the “Calls” section, then pressing the “+” sign, and choosing to create a call link, before sharing it with the people to be invited.
Creating links is still limited to people who have a WhatsApp account, while guests can join without an account after the call owner’s approval.
WhatsApp documents explain that each call link created has a different address that is difficult to guess. Unused links expire after 30 days, and the company can cancel some links for security or privacy reasons.
Greater competition for meeting services
The call links themselves are not new in WhatsApp, but the most notable change is dropping the requirement to have an account on the application for the invited person.
Thus, WhatsApp calls become closer in their use to online meeting services such as Zoom and Google Meet, as it is sufficient to send a link to the participant instead of requiring him to be added as a contact or have an account on the service.
The company also plans to add integration with Google Calendar and Outlook later in 2026, so that the user can create a WhatsApp call link directly from the calendar invitation, and attendees can join whether they have a WhatsApp account or not.
The update represents an important step in expanding the use of WhatsApp outside the scope of traditional calls between friends and family, to become a more suitable option for business meetings, lessons, interviews, and calls with people who the user does not want to share his phone number with.
On Thursday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled a car he described as a “plane,” equipped with a propulsion system that allows it to rise into the air, during an event broadcast live from a facility affiliated with his rocket company, SpaceX.
Until now, technical and regulatory challenges have prevented the launch of the widely promoted flying car sector, according to what was reported by Agence France-Presse.
Musk unveiled his new “Roadster” sports car during a ceremony held at a SpaceX rocket testing facility in the US state of Texas.
During a live broadcast on the Tesla account on the X platform, the car started off from a steep slope before landing on its wheels.
“Flying cars are a reality,” Musk said during the event. He added that the success of the vehicle “is not guaranteed,” but he expected that it “will likely succeed.”
Musk explained that the car is equipped with “ultra-pressure air tanks” that allow it to be propelled into the air.
The billionaire technology specialist described this innovation as the result of “cooperation between the best car company in the world and the best rocket company in the world,” referring to “Tesla” and “SpaceX.”
He said that production of the car will begin in 2028.
American aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss unveiled the first prototype of a flying car in 1917.
But developing viable designs has only begun to receive serious attention in recent years, with advances in electric motor technology and high-performance batteries.
