WhatsApp has introduced a new login method for its web platform, replacing the traditional QR code scanning process. Beta testers of the latest WhatsApp beta version on Android can now sign in to their accounts on the web using a one-time code (OTP) in addition to the QR code option.
To utilize this alternative login method, users can find the new option when attempting to link their accounts to their PCs. A button displaying “Link with phone number instead” will appear below the QR code scanner. By tapping on this button, users will be directed to a screen where they can enter an eight-character code. Once the code is entered, users can access WhatsApp’s web client on their PCs and choose “Link with phone number” instead of the QR code method. After entering the primary phone number associated with their account and verifying with the one-time code, the login process is complete.
Although this new method is currently available only for WhatsApp on the web, there is a possibility that Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, may extend this feature to other platforms as it competes with other leading messaging apps.
While the new login method provides an alternative for users whose phone cameras are not functional, it may require more manual effort compared to scanning a QR code. Nonetheless, users now have more options when signing in to their WhatsApp accounts on the web.