Overview
When a WhatsApp Web inbox has calls enabled, you handle calls without leaving the platform, using the in-browser softphone. You can accept, reject, talk with two-way audio, and hang up — all inside the contact's conversation. Beyond voice, the platform supports video calls, group calls (on WhatsApp group conversations), screen sharing, in-call reactions and raised hand, and a live panel with the participants' video mosaic — which you can take fullscreen and rearrange by spotlighting whoever is speaking.
This page is for agents: how to use calls day to day. To enable calls, recording and AI, see the setup guide.
Prerequisites
- A WhatsApp Web inbox with calls enabled by the administrator.
- Microphone permission granted to the browser (the platform asks on the first call).
- Being online on the platform to receive calls.
- A headset with microphone is recommended for better quality.
Step by step
- Receive a call: when the contact calls, a ringing call prompt appears with accept and reject buttons.
- Accept: click Accept. The first time, allow the browser's microphone.
- Talk: audio flows both ways. The call is tied to the contact's conversation.
- Hang up: click Hang up to end the call.
- Reject: if you can't take it, click Reject — the call is logged as rejected.
- Listen to the recording: if recording is on, when the call ends the recording appears in the conversation and you can play it right there.
- Call the contact: open the contact's conversation and use the call action to start an outbound call through the WhatsApp Web inbox.
- Video call: use the video button next to the call button to dial with your camera; on a live voice call, open the live panel and turn the camera on to upgrade to video.
- Group call: on a WhatsApp group conversation, the call button lets you call everyone (up to 31 participants besides you) or choose participants.
- Share your screen: during a call, use the screen share control in the live panel — it replaces your camera while active.
- View fullscreen: in the video panel, use View fullscreen to fill the screen with the mosaic and the controls. Exit fullscreen or the Esc key returns the panel to its normal size; with the panel open, the F key also toggles fullscreen (except while you are typing).
- Spotlight a participant: on the tile of the person you want to follow, use Spotlight — the mosaic becomes a layout with that person large and the others as thumbnails. The spotlighted tile keeps a highlighted border; use Leave spotlight to return to the grid.
- Recover a frozen video: if someone's picture freezes while their audio continues, use Recover video on that person's tile — the picture returns on the next keyframe.
- Ring someone who didn't answer: on a group call, open the Call participants panel. Each person shows their state (On the call, Ringing or Left) and, for anyone not on the call yet, a Ring again action rings only them.
Settings & options
- Accept / Reject / Hang up: softphone controls during the ringing or in-progress call.
- Participants panel: lists who is on the call, who is still ringing and who left, with a per-person ring again action.
- Fullscreen and spotlight: two ways of watching the video — fullscreen enlarges the whole panel; spotlight picks one person for the main area. Both are yours alone; nobody else sees the change.
- Recording in the conversation: when enabled by the administrator, an ended call leaves an audio to listen to inside the conversation.
- Outbound call: start a call from the contact's conversation.
- Logging: every call (answered, rejected or missed) is logged in the conversation and the reports.
Use cases
- Solve a question by voice in the middle of a text conversation, without switching tools.
- Return a missed call directly from the contact's conversation.
- Review later what was agreed by listening to the call recording.
- Follow whoever is presenting on a group call, using spotlight and fullscreen.
- Insist with someone who missed the first ring, without ending the group call.
Tips, limits & best practices
- Video needs a browser with WebCodecs (Chrome, Edge or Safari 16.4+); without it the video button explains why and audio calls keep working.
- WhatsApp calls hold up to 32 people (you + 31 participants); larger groups require picking a subset.
- If a participant's video freezes while their audio continues, use Recover video on that participant's tile — the picture returns on the next keyframe.
- Missed call: if nobody answers (or everyone rejects), it's logged as missed in the conversation; agree with the team who returns it. A call answered on the number's phone (or on another of its devices) is never shown as missed: the bubble reads Call ended · Answered on another device of this number, with the duration as soon as the phone reports it.
- Duration and end reason: the duration shown on the bubble and in the Calls panel counts from the moment the call was answered (not from the ring) until it ended, using the time WhatsApp reports. If the call ended because of a problem (it rang out; on calls you made, also contact busy, unavailable or declined), the bubble shows the reason in plain words; ordinary endings show no reason. When the connection drops after the call was answered, the bubble shows Call dropped with the reason The call connection dropped and the time you actually talked.
- Respect WhatsApp's limits (anti-ban): avoid long sequences of messages and mass calling. WhatsApp has soft limits (for example, around ~240 messages per hour per number) that, if exceeded, raise the risk of being blocked.
- Use a quiet environment and a headset with microphone for a clearer call.
- Keep the paired phone connected to the internet — without an active session, calls won't work.
Troubleshooting
- The call doesn't ring for me: confirm you are online and that the WhatsApp Web inbox is connected.
- No audio or muted microphone: check the browser's microphone permission and the selected audio device.
- I can't call the contact: confirm calls are enabled on the inbox and that the session is connected.
- The recording doesn't appear: recording may be off — confirm with the administrator; it only shows up after the call ends.
- I don't see the video or group call button: the administrator may have turned Video calls or Group calls off on that inbox.
- A participant stays "Ringing" and never joins: use Ring again in the participants panel; if they show up as Left, their call dropped or was ended on their side.
- The duration changed a few seconds after the call ended: this is expected when the platform ended the call before the contact hung up — the final value is what WhatsApp recorded.
- The call dropped right after I answered and the notice "WhatsApp refused to connect this call on this device; answer it on your phone." appeared: WhatsApp did not accept the browser answering that call, and the bubble stays as Call dropped. Answer on the number's phone and tell the administrator the time of the call.
- "The call connection dropped" appears: try calling again; if it repeats, tell the administrator the time of the call.
- Fullscreen doesn't enlarge the picture: video keeps its original aspect ratio — on wide screens there are bars on the sides. Spotlighting the participant uses the space better.