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Connect a WhatsApp number with Linked devices

Link a WhatsApp number to WavesFlo from the phone's Linked devices screen, then check its health score and allowance, and reconnect it if it drops.

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By WavesFlo team
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To connect a WhatsApp number with Linked devices, open WhatsApp on the phone, go to Linked devices, tap Link a device and scan the QR code shown on the other screen. One account can link up to four devices to its main phone, and they log out if that phone goes unused for more than 14 days.

Connecting a number to WavesFlo works the same way as opening WhatsApp Web on a computer: the phone links a new device by scanning a code. It takes about a minute, and nothing on the phone needs to be installed.

  1. In the WavesFlo dashboard, add an account and give the number a label you will recognise later. The dashboard shows a QR code.
  2. On the phone, open WhatsApp. On Android, tap More (the three dots), then Linked devices, then Link a device. On iPhone, tap Settings or your profile picture, then Linked devices, then Link device.
  3. If the phone asks, confirm it is you with a fingerprint, face or the phone's PIN.
  4. Point the phone at the dashboard and scan the code.
  5. Wait for the dashboard to show the number as connected.
Steps checked against WhatsApp's help centre in October 2026.

A linked number uses one of the four linked-device places on that WhatsApp account. As of October 2026, WhatsApp logs linked devices out if the main phone goes unused for more than 14 days, and disconnects a linked device that has itself been inactive for 30 days. WhatsApp linked devices limits covers both, and why WhatsApp Web keeps logging out lists the other reasons a link drops. Check the phone's Linked devices list now and then, and log out anything you don't recognise.

Five WhatsApp linked-device rules that affect a connected number, as of October 2026
RuleWhat WhatsApp saysWhat to do
Device limitUp to four linked devices at a time, plus the main phoneA connected number uses one of the four places, so log out devices nobody uses
Main phone unusedLinked devices log out if the phone goes unused for more than 14 daysOpen WhatsApp on the main phone at least once every 14 days
Linked device inactiveA linked device is disconnected after 30 days of inactivityLink it again by scanning a new QR code
Linking a new deviceThe main phone is still needed to register the account and to link each new deviceKeep the phone with whoever looks after the number
Restricted chatOn the latest app version, a group's admins or either person in a one-to-one chat can turn it on, and nobody in that chat can then use linked devices for itThat chat stays on the main phone and doesn't reach the inbox or campaigns, so answer it there

What does a connected number carry?

  • A health score, with the reason shown when it drops.
  • A daily and hourly allowance — 500 and 60 by default — that caps what the number sends.
  • A connection you can restart without touching any other number.
  • Its groups, indexed with their membership, traffic and busiest hours.
  • With the shared inbox switched on, its chats, listed alongside every other connected number's so a team can answer them.

What happens if a linked number disconnects?

Connections can drop. When one does, you are told, the number leaves rotation, and campaigns carry on across the numbers that remain. Reconnect it from the dashboard, or run the full automatic recovery. Developers can listen for the account.disconnected and account.qr_required webhook events to be alerted without watching the dashboard. In India, keep an eye on the SIM binding rule, which could change how long linked sessions stay connected.

Adding more numbers

Repeat the same steps for every number. Each session on Developer or Growth includes one team member and one connected number, and each additional number is ₹999 a month; a workspace can have up to 250 connected numbers on Growth and up to 50,000 on Enterprise, subject to plan. See pricing, and scaling campaigns across many numbers for why breadth beats pushing one number harder. Running several accounts on one phone is a different question, covered in multiple WhatsApp accounts.

Questions

How do I link a WhatsApp number to WavesFlo?

Open WhatsApp on the phone, go to Linked devices, tap Link a device and scan the code the WavesFlo dashboard shows.

How many devices can I link to one WhatsApp account?

Up to four alongside the main phone, as of October 2026, or up to 10 on a WhatsApp Business account with Meta's paid multi-agent. The main phone is still needed to register the account and to link new devices.

Why did my linked device log out?

As of October 2026, WhatsApp logs linked devices out if the main phone isn't used for more than 14 days, and disconnects a linked device that has been inactive for 30 days. Open WhatsApp on the phone regularly to keep links alive.

Do I need to install anything on the phone?

No. The number is linked from WhatsApp's own Linked devices screen.

What happens if a linked number disconnects?

You are told, the number leaves rotation, and campaigns continue on the other numbers. You reconnect it from the dashboard.

Sources

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