How to Set Up Two WhatsApp Accounts on Android

WhatsApp is one of the most popular chat apps out there, but despite its generous palette of features, the app does not officially allow users to have two accounts running on one device at the same time. Fortunately, there are a few workarounds to skip over this limitation. This article shows you how to set up two WhatsApp accounts on your Android phone.

Also read: How to Format Text in WhatsApp Chats

The Official Stand

On its official website, in the FAQ section, WhatsApp states the following:

“Your WhatsApp account can only be verified with one number on one device. If you have a dual SIM phone, please note that you still must choose one number to verify with WhatsApp. There is no option to have a WhatsApp account with two phone numbers.”

Moreover, the official rules warn against attempting to frequently switch your WhatsApp account between different devices because at a certain point, you may be blocked from re-verifying your account. To make it clear, you can’t use one number on two devices, but the reverse is doable.

Bearing all this in mind, this piece teaches you how to get two WhatsApp numbers to work on a single device. The second number can come from a second SIM card in your dual SIM smartphone or from another handset.

Also read: 13 of the Best WhatsApp Web Tips and Features

Get WhatsApp Web in Your Mobile Browser

One solution to get two WhatsApp accounts on the same device is to access one via the app and the other one via WhatsApp Web in your mobile browser. Now, if you try to access WhatsApp Web in your mobile browser, you’ll be invited to download the mobile app, which isn’t what you want. You need to use this small trick to get it working on your mobile browser.

Note: /this method works best if you have two separate mobile devices featuring two different SIM cards.

1. Open the Chrome browser on your mobile device.

2. Tap on the three-dot menu located in the upper-right corner.

3. Select Desktop site.

4. Navigate to web.whatsapp.com.

5. You’ll be asked to scan the QR code using your WhatsApp.

6. Take out the second device you own and scan the code.

7. The WhatsApp interface will load in your browser.

8. Now you can start chatting and interacting with your contacts using both accounts.

Next up: continuing with two methods that work for dual-SIM devices as well as if you’re sporting two separate mobile devices.

Use Native App Clones

Some smartphone manufacturers allow their users to create app clones. OnePlus, xiaoMi and select Samsung and Huawei devices include this functionality, although they all have different names for it.

If you own a OnePlus device, you’ll need to follow these steps in order to duplicate an app:

1. Open the Settings app on your device.

2. Scroll down until you find Utilities.

3. Tap on Parallel Apps.

4. Select WhatsApp from the list of apps that are available for cloning.

Go back to your app drawer, and you should see a second WhatsApp icon appear next to the original one.

Tap on it and use the second phone number to log in. WhatsApp will send a verification code on your other number, and you’ll need to input it before the WhatsApp interface loads.

Alternatively, on a Huawei device you’ll have to follow these steps to clone an app:

1. Open Settings on your device.

2. Scroll down until you find Apps.

3. Select App Twin.

4. Choose WhatsApp from the list of apps you can clone.

5. A second WhatsApp icon should appear on your home screen.

Follow the same steps we’ve detailed above.

Get WhatsApp Business

Another solution for those who want to have two WhatsApp accounts running on the same device is WhatsApp Business. While in theory, this service is intended for business users only, it’s possible to bend the rules a little bit and use it to log in with your second number on the same device.

Users can install the app for free and then follow the same installation process as with the standard version of the app.

Of course, WhatsApp Business comes with its fair share of associated costs for users looking to tap its full potential, but since you simply want to use it as a base to set up a second WhatsApp account, you should be able to use the core features without problem.

Another thing to keep in mind is that people you’ll be texting from your second number will know they are talking to a Business account as the app displays a notice once you start a chat. If that’s an issue for you, you may want to revert to the previous methods.

Now that you know how to set up two WhatsApp accounts on your phone, you may also be interested to find out how to export your WhatsApp chat history to PC or how to record videos and voice calls using the app.