WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, used by over 2 billion people worldwide. It allows you to send messages, make voice and video calls, and share photos, documents, and other media, all for free. While WhatsApp is available as a mobile app for iOS and Android, you can also use WhatsApp on your desktop or laptop computer by installing WhatsApp Desktop. This lets you access your WhatsApp account on a bigger screen and type messages using a keyboard.
One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to make voice and video calls with your contacts. On mobile, you can make one-to-one calls or group calls with up to 8 participants. But what about on WhatsApp Desktop? Can you make group calls from your Mac? Let’s find out.
Overview of Group Calls on WhatsApp
WhatsApp introduced group voice and video calling in 2018. This allowed up to 4 participants to join a group call. Over the years, this limit has increased – first to 8 participants in 2020, and now up to 32 participants as of 2022.
To start a group call on WhatsApp mobile, you tap the ‘Calls’ tab, then tap the ‘New Call’ button and select the participants. The group call will start ringing the participants, who can choose to join the call or decline it.
Once you’re in a group call, there are options to mute yourself or specific participants, change video layout, and add new participants mid-call. You can also message and browse other chats while remaining on the call.
Group calling is an incredibly useful feature, making it easy to bring multiple people together on a call, whether it’s for work meetings, catching up with friends and family, or just having fun. The ability to video chat with up to 32 people at once makes it great for hosting large gatherings or parties online.
Availability of Group Calls on WhatsApp Desktop
Now coming to the main question – can you make group calls from WhatsApp on your Mac or PC? Unfortunately, group calling is not yet available on WhatsApp Desktop.
The WhatsApp Desktop app allows you to make one-to-one voice and video calls with your contacts. But the option to make group calls with multiple participants is currently only available on the mobile apps for iOS and Android.
WhatsApp has not officially announced if or when group call support will be added to WhatsApp Desktop. The desktop apps generally trail behind the mobile apps when it comes to new features.
One reason group calling may not be prioritized for desktop is that it’s designed with mobile usage in mind. Group calls can be considered a mobile-first feature, taking advantage of mobile cameras, microphones, and touchscreens. Desktop usage likely skews more towards messaging and 1-on-1 calling.
However, as more people continue to work and learn from home, having group calling on desktop could be useful. It would allow users to participate in group calls directly from their computers, without needing to transfer an ongoing call from mobile to desktop.
Workarounds to Make Group Calls from Desktop
While you can’t directly make WhatsApp group calls from your Mac or PC, there are some workarounds and alternatives to get the group calling experience on desktop:
Use WhatsApp Web
WhatsApp Web allows you to access your WhatsApp account and messages through any desktop or laptop browser. To use it, simply go to web.whatsapp.com and scan the QR code with your mobile WhatsApp app.
Once connected, WhatsApp Web mirrors notifications and messages from your mobile device in real-time. This means you can start a group call on your phone, then transfer the call to your computer by using WhatsApp Web.
The call will continue on your computer screen and you can participate using your computer’s microphone and speakers. This gives you the group calling ability from desktop without true native support.
Use Desktop Apps like Portal from Facebook
Facebook Portal is a dedicated video calling device that works with WhatsApp. It comes with a large screen, smart camera, and speakers optimized for video calling.
When you link your WhatsApp account in the Portal settings, you can start and join group video calls with up to 32 participants right from Portal. This provides a full group calling experience from the comfort of home.
Portal devices start at $179 for the standard Portal model. There are also Portal+ and Portal TV models with larger screens. While not cheap, Portal provides an all-in-one group video calling solution.
Use the WhatsApp Mac App with Sideloadly
Sideloadly is an application that allows you to sideload iPhone and iPad apps onto your Mac. After installing Sideloadly, you can download the iOS WhatsApp app with full group calling support and use it directly on your Mac.
This workaround provides native group calling features without having to mirror your mobile device. However, being unofficial software, Sideloadly is not supported by WhatsApp or Apple. You use it at your own risk, and it may stop working anytime.
But for those who want group calling badly on Mac, Sideloadly is an option to try it out unofficially while waiting for official support. Just be cautious as sideloading apps falls in a legal grey area.
Comparison of WhatsApp’s Group Call Limit
| Platform | Group Call Limit |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp for iOS | 32 participants |
| WhatsApp for Android | 32 participants |
| WhatsApp Web | 32 participants (requires mobile device) |
| WhatsApp Desktop | No group calls |
| Facebook Portal | 32 participants |
This summarizes the group calling capability differences across WhatsApp’s apps. Only the mobile and Portal versions can natively start a group call with up to 32 people. WhatsApp Web requires a mobile device, while desktop has no group calling yet.
The Future of Group Calls on WhatsApp Desktop
Given how popular group calls are on mobile, many users are eager for WhatsApp to add support in the desktop apps. It would make the desktop calling experience more well-rounded.
Based on past feature rollouts, it seems likely that group calling will eventually come to WhatsApp Desktop, but the timeline is uncertain. WhatsApp tends to take a while before expanding new mobile features to desktop.
In the meantime, users have some workarounds like WhatsApp Web and Sideloadly. But these require mirroring your mobile device, which isn’t as seamless.
Native group call support on WhatsApp Desktop would allow starting calls directly on your computer. It could also enable useful functionality like scheduling future group calls from desktop.
As more teamwork and socializing continues online, group video chat is becoming a basic expectation. Hopefully WhatsApp recognizes the demand and makes group calls on desktop a reality soon. But for now, be prepared to use your phone if you want to organize larger WhatsApp calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make WhatsApp group calls from my laptop?
No, unfortunately WhatsApp does not currently support native group calling from laptops or desktops yet. The group call feature is only available on mobile devices and Facebook Portal.
How many people can join a WhatsApp group call?
WhatsApp has recently increased the group call limit to 32 participants maximum on mobile devices and Portal. On WhatsApp Desktop, you can only make 1-to-1 calls currently.
Can I join a group call using WhatsApp Web?
Yes, you can join a group call started on your phone by using WhatsApp Web. This mirrors the call to your computer screen. But you cannot start a new group call from WhatsApp Web directly.
Will WhatsApp ever add group calls to desktop?
WhatsApp has not officially confirmed plans to add group calling to desktop. However, since the feature is so popular on mobile, many expect it will eventually make its way to desktop as well. But likely not anytime soon.
What are some alternatives for group video chat on desktop?
Some alternatives for group video chat from desktop include apps like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Facebook Messenger which support larger calls. There are also dedicated devices like Facebook Portal.
Conclusion
While WhatsApp has revolutionized group calling on mobile, the ability to start group calls is still missing from WhatsApp Desktop. For now, users who want a group calling experience from Mac or PC can use workarounds like WhatsApp Web or sideloading the mobile app. But native support would make for a much smoother experience.
As working from home becomes more common, having powerful group video chat apps on desktop is increasingly important. Hopefully WhatsApp will prioritize adding group calls to desktop soon to keep up with user expectations and rival video chat platforms. But in the meantime, be prepared to rely on your phone for organizing those big WhatsApp calls.