
The WhatsApp desktop messenger can be downloaded for free from the official WhatsApp website. Throughout the WhatsApp desktop use, the mobile device must remain connected via the internet. Important: the smartphone should be connected to Wi-Fi whenever possible, in order to avoid putting an unnecessary and expensive strain on your mobile data allowance. The PC version then displays the message history from the mobile device. Just as with the web app, anyone looking to use the WhatsApp desktop version will require a smartphone with WhatsApp installed and activated on it. The desktop client supports keyboard shortcuts and autocorrect functions.Unread messages are added to the taskbar.Desktop notifications (pop-ups, ringtones) are available.The app can be integrated into the auto boot menu, meaning it opens automatically every time the computer is started up.



That aside, there are a couple of practical function that are only available via the desktop app: The two versions are actually very similar, but since the desktop version is installed, several features on it function better and the general service has been improved. The new WhatsApp desktop version is designed to replace the browser-based WhatsApp Web that was previously the only option for using the messenger on a PC. For more on the topic of web apps and native apps, check out our website app comparison.

This means web apps aren’t bound to an operating system or a particular device – they can be opened and used on almost any browser. A web app, on the other hand, is a website that is programmed specifically for a web browser. Native apps are apps designed and developed for use on a particular operating system – in this case, for Windows and Mac OS X. This service has already been in existence in a similar format - under the title WhatsApp Web and accessible via an online browser - but now users can download the native desktop app for free. Since mid-May 2016, social media giant Facebook’s 2014 acquisition is able to offer a desktop version of their beloved messenger service. WhatsApp fans (and there’s a lot of them) are delighted: this popular instant messenger can now be used on PCs and Macs at home, instead of just on smartphones and tablets.
