In this article
On 14 October 2026 WhatsApp launched guest calling: you send a call link, the other person opens it in a computer browser, types a name and joins, with no WhatsApp account and no app to install. The call is free, end-to-end encrypted, has no time limit, and works for 1:1 or group calls of up to 32 people, and nobody gets in without the host's approval. For a business in Saudi Arabia, that means a quick meeting with a client, supplier or job candidate no longer needs a meeting-tool licence or the other side being on WhatsApp. This week, decide which number creates links in your company's name, and run one test call with a client before you rely on it.
What exactly did WhatsApp announce?
According to the official WhatsApp Blog announcement, any user can now invite anyone to a WhatsApp call, even someone without an account. The details, as stated:
- No account, no app: the guest opens the link in a computer browser and only types a name.
- Up to 32 people: 1:1 or group calls, with no time limit cutting the meeting short.
- Host approval: guests wait in a waiting room until the host admits them, and can be removed at any time.
- Guest limits: guests cannot see participants' phone numbers, send messages, or add anyone to the call.
- Guest tools: computer screen sharing, raise hand, and 2 reactions (thumbs up and heart).
- Only account holders create links: a call link can only be created by someone with a WhatsApp account.
WhatsApp also said that later this year it will roll out Google Calendar and Outlook integrations, so a WhatsApp call link can be added to a meeting invite through a calendar plugin.
How do you create a call link in 3 steps?
- Open the Calls tab in WhatsApp and tap the + icon.
- Create a call link and send it by email or message to the people you want.
- When the call starts, admit guests from the waiting room by name, and never admit a name you do not recognise.
One point to watch: the announcement specifically mentions a computer browser. If your client will try to join from a phone without the app, test that yourself before the important meeting rather than discovering the problem in front of them.
Where does this help your business?
- Clients and investors abroad: a client in Europe or the US who does not use WhatsApp can now join your meeting from a link in their inbox.
- Product or system demos: guests can share their screen, so a supplier can walk you through a file, or you can show a client your system.
- First-round job interviews: the candidate does not need to hand over a personal WhatsApp number, and does not see the panel's numbers.
- Supplier meetings: a free option for a short meeting that does not justify another meeting-tool licence.
Do not confuse this with the WhatsApp Business API: these calls come from the Calls tab in the app itself, not messages through the API that, as we explained in our article on WhatsApp API reply pricing, cost 4 halalas per reply after each number's first 1,000 a month.
What the feature does not solve
It makes joining a call easier, but it does not turn WhatsApp into a company meeting platform. The announcement mentions no central admin for staff accounts, no unified meeting log, and no link to your CRM. The host still needs an account, so if every employee creates links from a personal number, the client relationship sits on that employee's phone, not with the company, and leaves when they do. And if that number gets banned, all its meetings stop, a risk we covered in our article on WhatsApp account bans.
The Origami view
We read this as a real cut in the friction of a first meeting: clients in Saudi Arabia are already on WhatsApp, and clients abroad can now join with a link. For a small business that means cheaper, faster-to-arrange meetings without adopting a new tool.
But the right decision is organisational before it is technical: one company number, or defined work numbers, create the links; a simple rule for admitting guests by name; and every meeting's outcome recorded in your system, not in an employee's memory. The tool is free. The mess it leaves without rules is not.
Conclusion: what to do this week
- Choose the work number that will create call links in the company's name, instead of personal numbers.
- Run one test call with a client or colleague from a computer browser, including screen sharing.
- Write the admission rule: only a name expected on the invite gets in.
- Log a summary of every client meeting in your CRM or project file.
- If your meetings start in Outlook or Google Calendar, watch for the calendar integration due later this year.
If your customer conversations on WhatsApp are scattered across staff phones and you want them tied into one system, talk to the Origami team.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Can I join a WhatsApp call without an account?
Yes, since 14 October 2026. An account holder sends you a call link, you open it in a computer browser, type your name, and wait for the host to admit you.
How many people can join a WhatsApp guest call?
Up to 32 people in a group call, or a 1:1 call, with no time limit according to WhatsApp's official announcement.
Can a guest see participants' phone numbers?
No. Guests cannot see participants' numbers, send messages or add anyone to the call, but they can share their screen, raise a hand and react.
Do businesses pay for WhatsApp guest calls?
No. WhatsApp describes them as free and end-to-end encrypted. They run from the Calls tab in the app and are separate from WhatsApp Business API message pricing.
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