WhatsApp tests chat feature without registration via invite links

WhatsApp has started testing a new feature that allows users to chat without creating an account.

After several months of testing on Android, the feature is now available to some beta users on iOS and the web, according to WABetaInfo. The new mode allows users to start a secure conversation via a link, but it currently comes with limitations: no group chats, calls, or attachments, and chats automatically expire after 10 days of inactivity.

The feature first appeared among Android beta testers in August last year. Its main purpose is to allow a WhatsApp user to start a conversation with someone who does not have an account.

The system is built around an invite link. A user creates the link in the “Invite a friend” section and shares it via SMS or other apps. When opened, the link launches a secure chat session through WhatsApp Web, meaning the guest joins without registering.

When a guest continues the conversation, WhatsApp Web generates a unique identifier used to create an encryption key. As a result, guest chats are protected with end-to-end encryption, and WhatsApp itself cannot access message content. After the link is sent, the chat must be initiated by the guest. They need to open the link, accept the terms, enter a name, and start the conversation themselves.

There is also an important limitation: anyone with the invite link can join the chat. Once the conversation begins, the interface labels the participant as a Guest with a warning that they are not registered with WhatsApp. Guests can still choose to create an account later, which may be the feature’s main goal, especially in markets like the United States, where WhatsApp remains less dominant.