WhatsApp Rolls Out Multi-Account Support to iPhone Users

WhatsApp is now rolling out multi-account support more widely to iPhone users through the App Store version of its iOS app. The feature lets a single iPhone run two phone numbers, a setup that has been on Android for years. Until this update, iPhone users had to rely on the WhatsApp Business app or a second phone to run a second number. The wait is a long one: the iOS beta for the feature did not even start until November 2025.

The wider release follows a TestFlight beta that began in November 2025, after WABetaInfo spotted the feature in the app’s code. The rollout itself is tied to WhatsApp for iOS 26.22.76, the build that carries the new option. An official announcement on WhatsApp’s blog, dated March 26, 2026, framed the feature as live “now” and “for everyone soon.” Most users on the latest iOS build should see the “Add account” option inside Settings. A small slice of iPhones will still be waiting on the next push.

The Feature iPhone Users Have Waited Years For

For iPhone owners, a second WhatsApp account inside the same app is one of the longest-requested additions since the platform caught up to Android on stickers and group calls. WABetaInfo’s reporting links the iOS release to WhatsApp for iOS 26.22.76, the build that carries the new option. Many iPhone owners have asked for the feature for years, ever since Android got the same setup.

WhatsApp’s own blog post, dated March 26, 2026, confirmed that two accounts on one iPhone is now possible, just like on Android. The active account is always visible through the profile picture shown in the bottom tab. Chats, calls, notifications, and settings stay separate per account. Notification tones set for one account do not bleed into the other, and privacy settings are stored individually rather than shared across the install.

Why Some Users Got It Months Ago

The current wave is not the first time the feature has appeared. Beta testing on TestFlight began in November 2025, with WABetaInfo reporting a new “Account List” section in the settings menu. The beta came after the same tracker spotted the feature in WhatsApp’s code. That code reference was found alongside groundwork for the upcoming username system.

A few months later, WhatsApp’s own blog made iOS support official, in the two-account announcement posted March 26, 2026. The post said the feature was “rolling out now” and would “be available to everyone soon.” That language fits the slow-pipeline pattern WhatsApp is known for.

Not every updater saw the option right away. As the multi-account iOS rollout report from WABetaInfo noted, “not all users were able to add a second account immediately,” and the feature “was still available only to a limited number of users.” Some iPhone users who updated in March saw “Add account” right away, while others had to wait for later builds. The 9to5Mac report describes the latest wave as a wider version of that limited initial rollout. The new compatible build is WhatsApp for iOS 26.22.76, and beta testers running the latest TestFlight version get the same functionality.

Setting Up and Switching Accounts on iPhone

The setup looks like a standard first-time WhatsApp install, just run a second time. Open WhatsApp, head to Settings > Account, and tap “Add account” if the option is there. From there, the same phone-number registration flow runs for the new account, and each account can be a brand new number or an existing one linked through a QR code scan.

Switching is just as quick. Users can swap accounts by opening the Account section and tapping “Switch account,” or by long-pressing the You tab on the bottom bar. A single tap on the You tab shows a list of registered accounts, and WhatsApp’s official how-to covers the rest in the official account switching reference. Each account keeps its own backup configuration, stored separately from the other account on the same iPhone.

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Account.
2. Tap “Add account” if the option is visible.
3. Register a new phone number, or scan a QR code to link an existing account.
4. Use the Account menu, or long-press the You tab, to switch between accounts.

The Slow Pipeline Behind WhatsApp’s Rollouts

WhatsApp typically runs slow, phased rollouts, and the multi-account release is no exception. The 9to5Mac report points to the app’s Liquid Glass redesign, which took more than seven months to reach a broader audience after its initial testing phase. That same Liquid Glass redesign has not yet reached every user.

The multi-account release is following the same template, with iOS users checking the App Store over weeks rather than days. Most iPhone users on the latest WhatsApp for iOS build should now see the “Add account” option, and WABetaInfo’s write-up confirms the feature is available to all users on the App Store version. The same functionality is also live for beta testers running the latest TestFlight build. For users who do not see the option, the workaround is simple: keep the app updated.

You can now have two WhatsApp accounts logged in at the same time on iOS, just like on Android. No more carrying two phones to keep work and personal separate.

That is WhatsApp’s official framing on the company’s blog, dated March 26, 2026. WhatsApp’s slow cadence means the feature’s reach can be confirmed only at the device level, not through a release note. The Liquid Glass redesign is still rolling out in parallel. WABetaInfo discovered the username groundwork in the same code pull as the multi-account plumbing. Both features have been moving through the same slow pipeline.

The multi-account release is the first half of a larger iOS revamp. The username system is the second half, still in development per the 9to5Mac report.

The Username System Waiting in the Wings

Multi-account and usernames were always in the same code neighborhood. WABetaInfo spotted references to both in WhatsApp’s app code before the multi-account beta even shipped. The username groundwork appeared in the same code pull as the multi-account plumbing. The 9to5Mac report flags both as parts of the same broader iOS revamp.

Multi-account is the half that has reached iPhone users first. The username system is still in development, with no public release date. Together, the two features would make a single iPhone viable for work and personal use without a second phone, since usernames would let people share a handle instead of a number. Without usernames, sharing a contact still means sharing a phone number.

For now, iPhone users are getting one half of that package. The other half, the username layer, is moving through the same slow pipeline that just delivered multi-account. Both updates have been visible in the same code reference for months, but only one has cleared the App Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if multi-account support is on my iPhone?

Open WhatsApp, tap Settings, then Account. If the “Add account” option is there, the feature is live. If not, update WhatsApp to the latest version on the App Store, then check again. WABetaInfo tied the wider rollout to WhatsApp for iOS 26.22.76, the build that carries the new option.

Can I have more than two WhatsApp accounts on one iPhone?

No. The current iOS version supports up to two accounts at a time. WhatsApp did not announce a higher cap, and the two-account limit matches what the November 2025 beta allowed on TestFlight.

Do chats, notifications, and settings stay separate between accounts?

Yes. Each account keeps its own chat history, notification tone, and privacy settings. WhatsApp displays the profile picture in the bottom tab to mark which account is active, and incoming notifications indicate which account received the message.

Do I still need WhatsApp Business for a second account?

No. WhatsApp Business is no longer the only workaround. Users can now add a personal or business number through Settings > Account > Add account. The Business app can be removed if it was only ever installed to host a second number.

What about WhatsApp usernames?

Username support is still in development. WABetaInfo spotted the username groundwork in WhatsApp’s app code at the same time as the multi-account plumbing. No release date has been announced, and the multi-account rollout took several months from beta to wider availability.