Meta announces that WhatsApp events will in future also reach people without a WhatsApp account. Guests open a shared link, read the details and accept or decline without downloading the app. According to its announcement, Meta is rolling out the new feature gradually to all users over the coming weeks.
Meta does not say which countries and platforms the update applies to. The company also does not say when the feature will arrive in Germany.
What is changing with WhatsApp events?
Meta is bundling events on a new home page, which the company calls Events Home. There you plan dates, send invitations and manage acceptances and declines. Under the Events menu item in the settings, WhatsApp lists past and upcoming events, both those you created yourself and those you have been invited to by someone.
In addition, there are custom reminders, an option for a companion (plus-one) and a cover photo for the event. According to onlinemarketing.de, the home page had already surfaced in a test in September 2026.
What do guests without an account see?
Guests without an account see all the details of the event and respond directly. WhatsApp only shows them the address after they respond. The app hides the phone numbers of other people.
How an invitation without an account works
Process according to Meta, rolled out gradually over the coming weeks
- CreatePlan an event in WhatsApp, with cover photo and reminders
- ShareSend the invitation link to guests without WhatsApp
- RespondGuest reads the details and accepts or declines without the app
- AddressWhatsApp only shows the location after the response
Meta does not name countries, platforms or launch dates
Sources: Meta Newsroom, onlinemarketing.de
Meta explicitly mentions end-to-end encryption for personal messages and calls. Whether the title, location and acceptances of an event are protected in the same way, the company does not explain.
What this means for you
It's best to first create a test event with acquaintances and check under the Events menu item in the settings whether Events Home already appears in your app. Meta names neither countries nor platforms, so the update may arrive later for you.
For customer appointments such as workshops, vernissages or open days, it is worth comparing it with your current registration method. Accepting without the app is more convenient for guests, but Meta does not mention a guest limit. For larger events, you should therefore continue to use your own registration method for the time being. If you enable the option for a companion, each acceptance can mean two places, which you should factor in when planning seating.
A link can be forwarded. Therefore, do not post it publicly if the event venue is supposed to remain private, because guests see the address after they respond.
Also check whether your privacy policy needs to be supplemented because of participant data at Meta, as soon as you invite customers via WhatsApp.
Meta presented the new feature on November 5, 2026.
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