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Millions of WhatsApp Web users worldwide reported difficulties accessing their accounts on Friday, according to a surge of reports on social media and outage-monitoring platform Downdetector.
The disruption, which peaked around mid-morning, appears to be highly specific.
Data indicates that while the mobile app remains functional, users are struggling with the "Linked Devices" feature. Of those filing reports, 56% cited problems with the website interface, 39% flagged issues with the desktop app, and 6% experienced delays in messaging services.
Initial reports and user tests suggest the glitch is almost exclusively affecting users attempting to pair WhatsApp Web with an iPhone.
While iOS users are met with "Couldn’t link device" errors or infinite loading screens after scanning the QR code, Android users appear to be using the service without any noticeable disruption.
Frustrated users took to X (formerly Twitter) to share screenshots of the "Loading your chats" screen hanging indefinitely, with some analysts pointing toward a potential synchronization bug in the latest iOS app update.
While WhatsApp has not yet released an official statement, early technical tests suggest that existing linked sessions (devices already logged in) remain functional.
Experts strongly advise users against logging out of current desktop sessions, as re-pairing may be impossible until a server-side fix is deployed.
For those currently locked out, some users have reported success by using the "Link with phone number" alternative on the login screen instead of the standard QR code.
Additionally, clearing the browser's "Site Data" or cache for web.whatsapp.com and ensuring the iPhone is not in "Low Power Mode" during the sync process may help bypass the connection hang.
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