Help needed with WhatsApp / Messenger

kev007

Hi all

My mother in law has purchased a new Android Tablet - has gone for a Doro one as she has limited vision.

She really wanted it so she could use WhatsApp / Messenger to keep in touch with family members, share photos etc.

I have successfully downloaded WhatsApp to the tablet but am receiving a message with a QR code to use WhatsApp and looks like I need to scan this - however, my MIL only has a very old mobile which is not a smart phone and I am not sure it even has a camera on it!

Is there a way around this?

If I download Messenger, would something similar be needed? She is not on Facebook.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

Kev

Farway

Could you scan the QR code with your smart phone?

I think the QR only takes you to web site to enter or get some code for WhatsApp

Obviously it will require someone to be there at the same time, passwords etc

flaneurs_lobster

Pretty sure that to sign up for WhatsApp you need the app on a SIM-connected device, so an Android/Apple phone usually. 

You can run a web-based interface on anything with a browser but it needs the app on a smartphone to read a QR code to enable it (and often to re-enable it after closure/shutdown of device). 

EDIT: Also, web-based WhatsApp does not have voice or video calling.

I'm not a Facebook/Messenger user but I have got a shiny new Samsung tablet. I've just installed the Messenger app and it does require you to have/create a Facebook account. For extra added confusion the first thing it asks is whether you want to run Messenger without Facebook, if so you will need to create a NEW new Messenger account. I couldn't be arsed to continue.

It does NOT, however, require a phone number to get this far.