Users worldwide, including those in Malaysia, reported a strange WhatsApp Web issue on 20 May 2026 after the platform suddenly redirected them to a Facebook login page instead of the usual QR code login screen. The problem appeared to affect both WhatsApp Web and the desktop app, confusing social media platforms and online forums.
It's a very strange glitch
According to multiple reports, users attempting to access WhatsApp Web through its official website were unexpectedly redirected to Facebook’s login portal. Some users also claimed their active sessions were logged out before the redirect happened. Meta has yet to release an official explanation for the issue at the time of writing.
The glitch quickly became a trending topic online, with users questioning whether Meta was testing a tighter integration between Facebook and WhatsApp. Others were concerned that a Facebook account might eventually become necessary for accessing WhatsApp on desktop browsers.
Discussions on Reddit and X showed that the issue affected users across several countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, India, Indonesia, the United States, Brazil, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Outage tracking platforms also recorded a noticeable increase in complaints during the incident period.
Some users shared temporary workarounds that appeared to restore access. These included clearing browser cookies, using Incognito or private browsing mode, reinstalling the WhatsApp desktop application, or visiting WhatsApp.com before manually selecting the login option. However, several users noted that these fixes only worked temporarily before the redirect issue returned.
There are currently no signs suggesting the glitch was caused by a security breach or permanent account linking between Facebook and WhatsApp. Based on available reports, the issue appears to be related to backend authentication or server-side problems affecting Meta’s services.
Interestingly, the incident also sparked discussions about Meta’s growing ecosystem integration. Since WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger already share several backend systems and account services under Meta, some users speculated that the redirect may have been triggered by an internal authentication error rather than an intentional feature rollout.
What do you think about this unusual WhatsApp Web issue? Did you experience the Facebook login redirect yourself?
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