WhatsApp: Voice and video calls finally arrive on the web version

After a wait that for many users has seemed endless, WhatsApp is taking a decisive step to standardize the user experience across all its platforms.

According to the latest information that has emerged, the functionality of voice calls and video calls is starting its debut on the browser version of the messaging service.

This is an update that aims to fill a technological gap that had persisted for years between the browser-accessible application and the desktop clients.

WhatsApp web gains support for voice and video calls

The WhatsApp desktop clients, that is, the downloadable applications for Windows and macOS, have supported audio and video calls since 2021.

By contrast, WhatsApp Web, launched originally in 2015, has remained for over a decade the ugly duckling of the ecosystem, lacking native real-time voice communication features.

This discrepancy has long forced users to choose between the convenience of immediate browser access and the completeness of the features offered by installing the software.

With this update, reported by WABetaInfo, the version label “Lite” that has always accompanied WhatsApp Web is set to disappear.

The company has indeed begun rolling out native support for calls directly within the web interface, eliminating the need to resort to the phone or desktop app to conduct a voice conversation.

Functionality and screen sharing

The user experience has been designed to feel immediately familiar to anyone who has already used the desktop versions.

The interface does not undergo drastic changes: to start a communication, simply access the desired conversation and select the handset or camera icon, located at the top right of the title bar.

Currently, the feature allows one-to-one calls, i.e., between two individual users. As for group calls, although they are not yet available in this initial release phase, it is very likely that they will be integrated at a later stage, following Meta’s usual step-by-step development roadmap.

This update also brings the ability to share the screen during video calls, exactly replicating the capabilities of the desktop apps.

This detail transforms WhatsApp Web from a simple quick-messaging tool to a potential ally for brief work meetings or remote assistance, without forcing the user to install additional software on corporate or shared computers where administrator rights may not be held.

Security and service availability

On the security front, the company maintains its high standards. Even calls made via the browser will enjoy the same level of protection as mobile and desktop counterparts, being fully protected by end-to-end encryption based on the Signal protocol.

This ensures that conversations remain private and inaccessible to third parties, including WhatsApp servers.

Currently, the feature is in a limited distribution phase and mainly targets users enrolled in the Beta program of WhatsApp Web. However, as is usually the case for this type of updates, the testing period helps ensure the service’s stability before the global launch.

It is reasonable to expect that the feature will be extended to all users of the stable version in the coming weeks, finally making WhatsApp Web a complete and autonomous communication tool.