Overview
- The feature was spotted in WhatsApp Beta for Android (build 2.26.35.1) and is currently under development rather than widely released.
- The warning appears on the Linked Devices screen when WhatsApp detects an unofficial or third‑party Web client and asks users to switch to web.whatsapp.com.
- Users can dismiss the notice but WhatsApp will continue showing it until the account is moved to the official Web client.
- WhatsApp and reporting note the technical risk: unofficial clients or browser extensions can act as a middleman that may access messages, media, contacts, or other data before encryption or after decryption.
- The test follows earlier WhatsApp safety work and high‑profile spyware incidents involving fake clients, and the rollout could reduce use of modified interfaces while disrupting users who depend on third‑party Web tools.