What you’ll learn
- How to log in to WhatsApp Web with the QR code
- How to log in without scanning a QR code
- WhatsApp Web QR code won’t scan? Try these fixes in order
- Why WhatsApp Web keeps logging you out
- Staying safe: fake WhatsApp sites and shared computers
- What WhatsApp Web can’t do
To use WhatsApp Web, go to web.whatsapp.com on your computer, open WhatsApp on your phone, tap Linked devices, then Link a device, and scan the QR code on the screen, with nothing to install.
If it isn’t working, the fixes are below, and the code that won’t scan comes first. We also cover logging in without the code, why it keeps logging you out and what it can’t do. Every step comes from WhatsApp’s own help pages, read on 2 November 2026.
How to log in to WhatsApp Web with the QR code
- On your computer, go to web.whatsapp.com in a browser, where you’ll see a QR code.
- Open WhatsApp on your main phone, then tap the three-dot menu on Android or the Settings tab on iPhone.
- Tap Linked devices, then Link a device.
- Unlock with your fingerprint, face or phone PIN if it asks, then point your phone at the screen and scan the code.
Your chats then open in the browser. WhatsApp may also ask you to create or use a passkey, which is a login that uses your phone’s fingerprint, face or screen lock. If you don’t recognise a device, WhatsApp asks you to confirm before it links.
Check the address before you scan. WhatsApp says linking through an unofficial site or app can get your account temporarily or permanently banned.
How to log in without scanning a QR code
Camera broken, or scanning just won’t work? WhatsApp lets you link with your phone number instead, on WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp for Windows only.
- On the login page, click Link with phone number or Log in with phone number.
- Select your country, enter your number and click Next. You’ll see an eight-character code.
- On your phone, tap the notification that says Enter code to link new device, and check the device name and place.
- Tap Confirm, unlock if asked, and enter the code.
No notification? Open Linked devices on your phone, tap Link a device, then choose Link with phone number instead.
Need help with AI and WhatsApp? See our AI systems and prices.
Book a demo call ›WhatsApp Web QR code won’t scan? Try these fixes in order
Start at the top, since the first few fix most cases.
- Update WhatsApp on your phone, because older versions can fail to scan.
- Check your phone’s camera and internet connection, then try again.
- Refresh the WhatsApp Web page to get a fresh code.
- Use a current browser. WhatsApp works on the latest Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Safari, and won’t work on some older browsers, such as Internet Explorer.
- Leave incognito or private mode, which can get in the way of the passkey step.
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.
- Restart your computer, and wait 30 seconds before you turn it back on.
- Try a different Wi-Fi network or a hotspot. WhatsApp says office and campus Wi-Fi can cause problems, and your IT team can allow traffic to web.whatsapp.com and .whatsapp.net.
If it gets stuck at the passkey step instead, WhatsApp’s fixes are different:
- Sign in to the same Google account on your Android phone and Chrome, or the same Apple account on your iPhone and Mac.
- Turn Bluetooth on, on both devices, then try again.
- Install your password manager’s browser extension if you keep your passkey there.
- Check that your browser is Chrome 109, Safari 16, Edge 109, Firefox 122 or newer. Company browsers may block the feature, so ask your IT team.
Why WhatsApp Web keeps logging you out
WhatsApp Web keeps running when your phone is off, but it won’t stay linked forever. There are three limits to know:
- Your main phone: WhatsApp logs out linked devices if the phone goes unused for over 14 days, so open WhatsApp on it at least every two weeks.
- The computer: WhatsApp disconnects a linked device after 30 days without use.
- Four devices: your account can link up to four at a time.
To see what’s linked, or log one out, open Linked devices on your phone.
Staying safe: fake WhatsApp sites and shared computers
Three habits cover most of the risk, especially on a shared office computer:
- Only log in at web.whatsapp.com or through WhatsApp’s own Windows and Mac apps. GB WhatsApp and FM WhatsApp are examples of unofficial apps WhatsApp warns about.
- Log out when you finish on a computer other people use. Anyone at that screen can read your chats until you do.
- Check Linked devices now and then, and keep push notifications on, so you can remove a device you don’t recognise.
What WhatsApp Web can’t do
WhatsApp’s page on linked devices lists three things they don’t support: broadcast lists, viewing a live location, and WhatsApp Flows from a business. It also can’t be your main device, so you still need your phone to register your account and link new devices. Our guide covers how to schedule a WhatsApp message, since there’s no button for it here either.
WhatsApp Web runs in a browser and needs no download, while WhatsApp for Windows and Mac are apps you install. Both are linked devices, so the same rules apply.
Need a QR code that opens a chat with your business, rather than one that logs you in? That’s a different thing, and our free WhatsApp link generator makes one for your shop or website.
When WhatsApp Web is enough for a business, and when it isn’t
On your own, WhatsApp Web is a good way to type on a real keyboard. It’s free, and it works.
It starts to strain when a team uses it. Everyone on the account sees the same chats under the same name, and we found nothing in WhatsApp’s help pages that assigns a chat to a person. So two people answer the same customer, or each assumes the other did. Nothing shows who quoted what, and when someone leaves, what they knew leaves too.
| WhatsApp Web | A shared team inbox | |
|---|---|---|
| Who’s logged in | Whoever scanned the code | Each person, with their own login |
| Who’s on this chat | You have to ask | Assigned to one person |
| Customer history | Scroll back through the chat | Filed against the customer’s record |
| Follow-ups | Someone remembers | Reminders on the job |
| Cost | Free | A monthly fee |
If one or two of you answer and nothing slips, stay on WhatsApp Web. Our guide to the WhatsApp Business API sets out when a business needs more, moving the number to the API keeps your chats, and Meta’s message fees are in our pricing guide. Our CRM guide explains what to do with the leads.
Your WhatsApp Web questions, answered
How do I open WhatsApp Web?
Go to web.whatsapp.com in a browser on your computer, then scan the QR code from your phone under Linked devices.
Does WhatsApp Web work without a phone?
Mostly. Linked devices keep working with your phone off or offline, but they’ll log out if your phone goes unused for over 14 days.
Can I use WhatsApp Web without a QR code?
Yes. Choose Link with phone number on the login page, and enter the eight-character code on your phone.
How many computers can I link?
Up to four devices at a time, on top of your main phone.
Is WhatsApp Web safe?
WhatsApp says personal messages stay end-to-end encrypted on linked devices, so the risk is mostly a shared computer you forgot to log out of, or a fake site.
Why does WhatsApp Web say my computer isn’t connected?
A yellow icon with the words Computer not connected means you may not have internet. Check your connection, refresh the page, or try a different network.
Can I use WhatsApp Web with WhatsApp Business?
Yes. WhatsApp’s help pages cover linking a device from the WhatsApp Business app as well, and the same limits apply.
Can I make calls on WhatsApp Web?
WhatsApp says yes, and those calls to your contacts are free over your internet connection.
Can two people use WhatsApp Web on the same number?
Yes, up to the four-device limit, but you share one account, and nothing shows who’s handling which chat.
When three people need to answer the same number
Our WhatsApp Inbox and CRM is built for that week. Three people work from their own logins on your one number, each chat is assigned to a person, and every chat is filed against the lead on your job board.
We connect your number for you, with no setup fee and no Meta per-message fees, and you keep the WhatsApp Business app on your phone. It’s S$119 a month on annual billing, including the CRM, and the inbox pricing page has every plan. Our message templates give you wording to start from, and our WhatsApp AI agent can take the first reply when you’re busy. We also run the SEO, Google Ads and Facebook ads that bring those enquiries in.
On a free 30-minute call we’ll show you the inbox on your own chats. You only get a quote if we can help.
Sources, read on 2 November 2026
- Logging in: WhatsApp Help, About WhatsApp Web
- Linking from the WhatsApp Business app: WhatsApp Help, How to link a device using the WhatsApp Business app
- Linking with a QR code: WhatsApp Help, How to link a device
- Linking with a phone number: WhatsApp Help, How to link a device with phone number
- Passkeys and troubleshooting: WhatsApp Help, About passkey linking on WhatsApp Web
- Connection fixes and supported browsers: WhatsApp Help, How to fix connection issues
- Linked device limits, supported devices and what they can’t do: WhatsApp Help, About linked devices
- Unofficial apps and bans: WhatsApp Help, About unofficial apps
