WhatsApp is one of the best messaging apps out there, and although it has historically not played too well with multi-device lifestyles, that has been slowly changing. WhatsApp Web and other desktop versions have been available for years, allowing you to chat on your computer, independently from your phone. The app wants to take it a step further with companion mode, a new option that lets you use a secondary Android device for your WhatsApp instance. After weeks of beta testing this with Android tablets only, the latest WhatsApp beta now allows some to pair secondary phones, too.

As WABetaInfo spotted, WhatsApp beta version 2.22.24.18 looks ordinary when you first open it after installing it on a new phone, asking you to pair it. When you tap the three-dot overflow menu in the top right corner, you'll see a new option to Link a device. Tap it, and a QR code will be displayed that allows you to connect your existing account to your new phone, with both handsets then allowing you to use the app. This comes with the same behavior as you know from WhatsApp Desktop, just that you can have it on secondary Android device like a phone or tablet. Just like for WhatsApp Desktop, your primary phone also doesn't have to be turned on or connected to the internet for WhatsApp to work on your companion device.

The new WhatsApp beta also comes with a new splash screen telling users about "WhatsApp on Android tablet." It serves as an education that the multi-device feature is now expanded to mobile devices. If you're a beta tester, you can open your primary WhatsApp installation and go to the Linked devices page and tap on the three-dot button in the top right corner to see a "Linked devices beta" option. It will then show a splash screen showing you how you can set up an Android tablet as a secondary device to the instance set up in your smartphone.

This new Companion Mode is labeled as a beta, which means that users should expect bugs and issues, as well as probably some non-functioning features. However, setting up companion mode on your Android tablet or secondary phone is a very similar process to setting up a regular desktop instance — just launch WhatsApp on your tablet, and you'll get a QR code that you can then scan with your smartphone. This shows that the process is probably already tried and true and you shouldn't expect too many issues.

For now, the feature is still available to a few lucky beta users, but that might be about to change very soon. You can try joining the beta on the Play Store, but it's likely already filled up. If that's the case, you can also get the current beta release from APK Mirror. Note that the feature seems to involve a server-side switch, too, so even with the latest version on your secondary phone or tablet, you might not be among the lucky beta testers to get in on the feature.