WhatsApp made official one of the most anticipated features by users: the ability to send messages on up to four devices with the phone turned off or without a network. This is already possible through WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop. However, they are not the only possibilities we have to enjoy WhatsApp on our computer. And is that We will also have a new UWP app in the Windows store and another in macOS thanks to Catalyst.
This is how we have been able to verify it through the WABetaInfo portal, where they assured that this new app was already under development. Not only that, but we have also been able to test it first hand, since its beta version is available for download in the Microsoft Store.
Windows operation
The fact that WhatsApp already has a UWP application means that We can enjoy a native experience of the platform both on Windows 10 and 11, as well as on Xbox. When you download it, you will also realize that the Metro interface, typical of Windows apps, has also been applied in this app.
To download this app on Windows, we just have to go to this link in the Microsoft Store and download it to our computer. It must be taken into account that, to link our mobile phone to this application, we will have to enter the beta of WhatsApp. To do this, in the app of our mobile device, we go to the ‘Linked devices’ section and join the beta program. Then we just have to scan the QR in the new desktop application and it will work.
The interface has few new features, although yes, it is adapted to Windows as we have already mentioned. In the settings panel we can find the already known options for chats, notifications, storage, etc. However, it still feels something in diapers, something to be expected, since it is still in beta.
The good news is that this app will consume much less RAM than its web version, since being a native UWP app, its consumption is much lower than an app developed in the Electron framework.
In macOS it will be identical to the iPad
That WhatsApp also reaches macOS natively is also great news. And it is that as mentioned from WABetaInfo, this is possible thanks to the future version of WhatsApp for iPad. Apple allows iPad-compatible apps to be run on macOS thanks to Catalyst, and everything indicates that WhatsApp will enable support for this app soon.
From WABetaInfo they comment that the app for macOS will work exactly the same as the one in development for iPad, that is, with an identical interface. However, the app will have some new features in its interface, also to adapt them to these teams.