WhatsApp is preparing to add multi-device support to iPad and Android tablets, expanding on the multi-device support beta that began to roll out for select users last month. Multi-device support means that it's possible to run WhatsApp on multiple devices simultaneously. You can have the same WhatsApp account up and running on up to four non-phone devices. What this means is that you still can’t use the same WhatsApp account on more than one phone, but you’ll be able to use the same account on WhatsApp for Web, Desktop, and Portal at the same time. Now the company is preparing to add support for iPad and Android tablets, too.

This upcoming feature was spotted by WABetaInfo. Previously, the only way to access WhatsApp on your PC was by having your phone be connected to the internet at all times, after being linked up by scanning a QR code. This meant that if you turned off mobile data or ran out of battery, you would lose access to WhatsApp on PC.

How multi-device compatibility works is that your companion device will connect to your WhatsApp account independently. The company says they have developed a new architecture to ensure end-to-end encryption is not compromised while syncing chats, contact names, chat archives, starred messages, and all other information across devices.

Companion devices are linked by scanning a QR code, and on compatible devices, WhatsApp will also enforce biometric authentication as an extra layer of security. Users can see all their companion devices that are paired through the app, and they can also see when they were last used. They can log out remotely, too. For more information, check out WhatsApp’s FAQ page about the multi-device feature.

Given that Android tablets aren't too far removed from Android smartphones, it's possible that the company may slowly be moving towards introducing multi-device support across multiple phones. There currently is no way to log in on multiple smartphones at once through WhatsApp, though it may finally be on the way in the future.