WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion active users. Many people use WhatsApp daily to communicate with friends, family, colleagues, customers and more. One common question that arises is whether it’s possible to log into your WhatsApp account through your Google account. The short answer is no, you cannot directly log into WhatsApp using your Google account credentials. However, there are some workarounds that allow you to access WhatsApp on the web using your Google account.
Why You Can’t Login to WhatsApp with Google
WhatsApp and Google accounts utilize different systems and protocols under the hood. WhatsApp uses your phone number as your account identifier, while Google uses your Gmail address. When you first setup WhatsApp, it verifies your phone number through an SMS code. Your Google account has no knowledge of your phone number or WhatsApp account information. Therefore, there is no direct way to login to WhatsApp by only using your Google username and password. The accounts are completely separate from each other.
Linking WhatsApp to Google Account
While you can’t directly login to WhatsApp with Google, there are a couple ways to associate your WhatsApp account with your Google account:
WhatsApp Web/Desktop App
WhatsApp has web and desktop apps that mirror the messaging functionality of your mobile WhatsApp app on your computer’s browser. To use WhatsApp web, you need to scan a QR code from the website using your mobile WhatsApp app to link the accounts. Once linked, you can access your WhatsApp messages and contacts from your computer browser by going to web.whatsapp.com and scanning the QR code through your mobile app each time.
This can be convenient if you want to type WhatsApp messages from your computer keyboard rather than phone. However, you still need your phone on and connected for WhatsApp web to work. Your Google account is not part of this process – the linking is directly between the mobile app and web browser.
Change WhatsApp Number to Google Voice
If you want to associate your WhatsApp number with your Google account more permanently, you can link your WhatsApp number to a free Google Voice number. Here are the steps:
1. Sign up for a new Google Voice number for free if you don’t have one already.
2. In your Android WhatsApp app, go to Settings > Account > Change Number.
3. Enter your Google Voice number to replace your current WhatsApp number.
This will transfer your WhatsApp account to be linked with your Google Voice number. You can then access WhatsApp on your computer by linking web.whatsapp.com to your Google Voice number when scanning the QR code. The downside is you will have a new WhatsApp number.
Using Google Account to Access WhatsApp Web
While you can’t use your Google username and password to login directly to WhatsApp, there are ways to simplify accessing WhatsApp web using your Google account:
Add Web.WhatsApp.com to Chrome Bookmarks
Add the WhatsApp web URL to your Chrome bookmarks bar. Then opening the bookmark will take you directly to the WhatsApp QR code scanner page so you can quickly link to your mobile app. This saves you from having to type out the web URL each time.
Use Google Chrome Profiles
If you use Chrome user profiles, you can dedicate a profile just for accessing WhatsApp web. When you load that profile, WhatsApp web will automatically open up ready for scanning the QR code without having to go to the site manually each time.
Browser Extensions
There are various browser extensions like ‘WA Web Plus’ that add shortcuts to your Chrome browser for easily opening WhatsApp web. This gives quick access without having to explicitly go to web.whatsapp.com and scan the code each time.
Third Party Apps
Some third party apps like ‘WATool’ for Mac allow you to use your Google account credentials to log into WhatsApp on your computer. However, this is an unofficial workaround that may violate WhatsApp’s terms of service. Use at your own risk.
Summary of Key Points
| Can you login WhatsApp with Google? | No, WhatsApp and Google use separate authentication systems. |
|---|---|
| How are WhatsApp and Google accounts linked? | Through WhatsApp web by scanning a QR code or changing your WhatsApp number to a Google Voice number. |
| What are some workarounds? | – Bookmark WhatsApp Web in Chrome – Dedicated Chrome Profile for WhatsApp Web – Browser extensions for quick access – Third party apps (not officially supported) |
Conclusion
While WhatsApp and Google accounts are completely separate, there are some handy workarounds to quickly access WhatsApp web using your Google browser. The main options are utilizing Chrome bookmarks, profiles and extensions to avoid re-scanning the QR code each time. There is no official integration to login to WhatsApp purely with Google credentials, you still need to have your phone connected. But with the right browser tools, accessing WhatsApp on your computer can be made simpler.