WhatsApp Business Web Login: Using It on a Computer

WhatsApp Business Web login is really a one-minute job: a QR code opens on the computer, you scan it with the WhatsApp Business app on your phone, and your chats appear on screen. But it doesn't always go that smoothly. The QR code won't scan, the session closes by itself, a new device won't link. Below we walk through the login step by step, then list the problems we see most often and their fixes.

Is WhatsApp Business Web a separate app?

No. The web.whatsapp.com address you open in a browser and WhatsApp's computer app both work as "linked devices" of the account on your phone. You don't create a separate account or set a password on the computer. Which account opens is decided by which app you scan the QR code with.

In short: scan the code with the WhatsApp Business app and your business account opens; scan it with personal WhatsApp and your personal account opens. If you have both apps installed on your phone, pay attention to which one you scan from; this is one of the mix-ups we see often.

How do you log in to WhatsApp Business Web?

Logging in with a QR code

1. Open a browser on the computer and go to web.whatsapp.com. If you will use the desktop app, open the app. A QR code will appear on screen.
2. On your phone, open the WhatsApp Business app.
3. On Android tap the three dots at the top right, on iPhone tap Settings, and go to Linked devices.
4. Tap Link a device. The phone may ask for your screen lock or fingerprint.
5. Hold the phone's camera up to the QR code on the computer screen. Within a few seconds your chats start to load.

If you can't scan the QR: linking with a phone number

If the camera is broken or the code on screen just won't scan, the login screen also has an option to link with a phone number. You enter your number, a code appears on the computer, and you type that code into WhatsApp Business on your phone. The result is the same: the computer is added as a linked device.

Browser or desktop app?

Both open the same account. The difference is in how you use it. For someone who watches customer messages all day, the desktop app is more comfortable; for someone who checks now and then, the browser is enough.

Download the desktop app from WhatsApp's official download page or from your operating system's app store. Copies downloaded from other sites put your account at risk.

How many computers can you connect at once?

According to WhatsApp's help center, the standard limit in the WhatsApp Business app is four linked devices. Your phone is the main device, and on top of that you can link four computers, tablets or browser sessions.

Is more possible? Yes, but with conditions. With WhatsApp's multi-agent feature, this number goes up to ten devices. As stated in the help center, how many devices you can link depends on the scope of your Meta Verified or Meta One subscription. If the subscription ends, only the four most recently active devices stay linked.

There is good news too. While linked devices are running, the phone doesn't need to be on or connected to the internet. Still, don't forget the phone completely: if you don't use the main device for more than 14 days, linked devices are disconnected.

Common connection problems and their fixes

In the questions that come to us, the same few problems show up again and again. Most of them take a few minutes to fix.

The QR code won't scan or it expires

The QR code on screen refreshes at set intervals. If the code has faded, click the refresh link. Don't hold the phone's camera too close to the screen, turn up the screen brightness, and make the browser full screen. If WhatsApp Business's camera permission is off on the phone, scanning won't start at all; check the permission in the phone's settings.

"Link a device" doesn't work, a new device won't be added

You may have reached the four-device limit. Look at the Linked devices list on the phone, tap a computer you no longer use and log out of its session, then try again. The phone's internet connection also needs to be on during linking.

The session closes by itself

We see two causes most often. The first is the phone going unused for more than 14 days. The second is the browser clearing cookies and site data; in browsers that open in a private tab or delete data on exit, the session is lost every time. On a computer you'll use all the time, prefer a regular tab or the desktop app.

Messages won't load, the "connecting" text doesn't go away

Check the computer's internet. On company networks, a firewall or VPN can block WhatsApp's connection; if you can, try another network. If the problem continues, refresh the page, and if that doesn't work, log out and scan the QR again. Make sure your browser and the desktop app are up to date.

No notifications come

Notification permission may be off for the WhatsApp tab in the browser. Allow notifications from the site settings in the address bar. If the computer's "do not disturb" mode is on, notifications won't show either.

Is WhatsApp Business Web enough as your team grows?

For a one- or two-person business, WhatsApp Business Web does the job comfortably. The problem comes up when more than one person starts looking after the same number. It isn't clear who answered which chat, two people write to the same customer, and a message falls between the cracks.

At this point there are two routes. With a Meta Verified or Meta One subscription, you can turn on the multi-agent feature in the app and increase the device count. Or you move to the WhatsApp Business API and manage the number from a shared inbox in a panel. We compared which one suits you in the post where we explain how a team can use a single number.

On the Chatopya side, it works like this: for businesses that have moved to the API, several agents use the same number, chats are assigned or handed over to agents, and each agent's history and performance are kept on record. Alongside WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Messenger, Telegram and the Web Chat you add to your site also land on the same Conversations screen. Details are on the WhatsApp customer service page.

Know this before you move: when you move your existing number to the API, the WhatsApp Business app on your phone closes on that number and old chats don't move to the panel. If you prefer, you can also start with a new number. The fee side is different too; we explained the difference between the app and the API in the post Is WhatsApp Business free?

Frequently asked questions