How to Know If Your WhatsApp Is Linked to Another Device
To know if your WhatsApp is linked to another device, open Linked devices on your phone: every computer, tablet or browser using your account is listed there. On Android it's More options (three dots) > Linked devices. On iPhone it's the Settings tab, then Linked devices.
Tap any entry and then Log out to remove it. WhatsApp allows up to four linked devices at a time, so the list takes a minute to read.
Where to see which devices are linked
WhatsApp's help center says to check your linked devices regularly, on your primary phone. This is the check for WhatsApp Web, the Windows and Mac apps, tablets and other companion devices.
What the list can contain, per WhatsApp: Windows, Mac, Web, Android tablet, iPad, WearOS, companion phones, Meta AI glasses and VR, plus Apple Watch on iPhone. If something in there isn't yours, remove it first and work out what it was afterwards.
WhatsApp's pages don't give a separate path for the WhatsApp Business app, so look for the same Linked devices entry there. If you can't find it, check your app is up to date.
How to log out of a linked device
- Open WhatsApp on your primary phone.
- On Android, tap More options (three dots) > Linked devices. On iPhone, tap Settings > Linked devices.
- Tap the device you want to remove.
- Tap Log out.
That ends the session on that device. To log out of every other device, repeat this for each one on the list. Linked devices can't be used as the primary device on an account, so this only removes the extra devices.
Linked devices also leave the list without your help. They work without your phone online, but they log out if your phone goes unused for over 14 days, and WhatsApp automatically disconnects a linked device after 30 days of inactivity. If an old laptop has vanished from the list, that may be why.
Does WhatsApp notify you when someone links a device?
It can, if push notifications are on. WhatsApp's advice is to enable them on your phone so you can remove devices you don't recognise: tap the notification to review and remove the device.
Linking also needs your primary phone. WhatsApp says you need it to link new devices, and the link-a-device page adds that you may be asked to verify your identity on that phone with biometrics or its PIN. If WhatsApp detects an unrecognised device, it asks you to confirm, with the options Don't link and Link device. The pages don't spell out exactly when each alert appears, so treat the notification as a backup and the Linked devices list as the source of truth.
Linking can also affect other people's screens: WhatsApp says a security code with a contact might change when someone adds or removes a paired device. If you see that notice, read why a WhatsApp security code changes.
What can't a linked device do?
Linked devices connect to WhatsApp independently, and messages stay end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp lists a few things they don't support: viewing live location, creating and viewing broadcast lists, and interacting with businesses using WhatsApp Flows. They can't be used as the primary device either.
For anyone sharing one number across phones, the limits are in using WhatsApp on two phones.
What to do if you find a device you don't recognise
- Open Linked devices and tap the unknown device.
- Tap Log out.
- Check the rest of the list while you're there.
- Turn on push notifications, so you hear about new links.
Only scan a QR code you started yourself. If anyone asks you to scan a code they sent, or to share a code WhatsApp texted you, don't.
Where Tenashi fits
On a business number, the list gets longer: a shared laptop, a staff member's browser, a tool the team connected last year. Reviewing it now and then is a good habit, because every entry is a way into the number.
Tenashi connects your own WhatsApp number as a linked device. You scan the QR code Tenashi shows from Linked devices > Link a device on the phone, so Tenashi sits in the same list as everything else and counts toward the four. If someone removes it there, Tenashi shows the number as Logged out until you scan again, which our number connection guide walks through. Tenashi isn't Meta's official Business API. It only works on a number its owner connects. For the walk-through, see how to connect a WhatsApp number; for the wider picture, our guide to WhatsApp for business. Plans start at $18/mo. Get started.
FAQ
How do I know if my WhatsApp is linked to another device?
Open Linked devices on your phone. On Android, tap More options (three dots), then Linked devices. On iPhone, open the Settings tab, then Linked devices. Every device linked to your account is listed there. Tap one and choose Log out to remove it.
How do I log out of WhatsApp on other devices?
Go to Linked devices on your primary phone, tap the device and tap Log out. Do it for each device you want gone. WhatsApp also logs linked devices out if your phone goes unused for over 14 days.
Does WhatsApp notify you when someone logs into WhatsApp Web?
WhatsApp says to enable push notifications on your phone so you can review and remove a device you don't recognise. Linking needs your primary phone, and WhatsApp asks you to confirm if it detects an unrecognised device. The Linked devices list is the dependable check.
How many devices can be linked to one WhatsApp account?
Up to four at a time, linked to your primary phone. WhatsApp Web, the desktop apps, tablets and other companion devices count. The primary phone is needed to register the account and to link new devices.
How do I know if my WhatsApp Business is linked to another device?
Check the Linked devices list in the app, the same way. WhatsApp's help pages cover linked devices for the account and don't describe a different path for the Business app, so look for the Linked devices entry in its menu.
Linked devices is the one list that tells you who is using your number, and it takes a minute to read. If your team shares a number on purpose, get started with Tenashi.