WhatsApp launched a desktop app for Windows and Mac OS X just a few days ago, which was definitely needed as until now Facebook only offered a web version for the popular chat app. In this guide, we’ll show you how you can easily install and use WhatsApp Desktop on PC and Mac.
I talked about how you can use WhatsApp on your computer quite recently but that guide was about WhatsApp Web, which you can only use in the browser. The desktop app makes things a bit easier, although the app does have some requirements that limit the number of users.
WhatsApp Desktop requirements
For Mac the requirements are straightforward – your computer needs to run on OS X 10.9 or higher. If you’re a PC user, then you can only use the app on Windows 8 64-bit or Windows 10. Regardless on which desktop platform you want to use the app, you’ll also need to have it installed on your phone that needs to be nearby and connected to the Internet.
That is because WhatsApp Desktop works just like the Web version, mirroring the conversations in the phone app.
How to install and use WhatsApp Desktop on PC and Mac
To begin with, you’ll need to download the desktop app from whatsapp.com/download. Select the version for your operating system.
When the download is complete, the app will show a QR code, just like the one on the web platform.
As you can see, for each supported mobile device the page tells you the menu option you need to access in order to scan the code, so go ahead and follow the instruction for your own smartphone model.
As soon as you do that, you’ll be able to use WhatsApp Desktop on your computer. The desktop version works just like the mobile one, although it also provides a few keyboard shortcuts for common actions.
– Ctrl+E – Archive chat
– Ctrl+Shift+M – Mute chat
– Ctrl+Shift+U – Change message read status
– Ctrl+N – Start new chat
– Ctrl+Shift+N – Start new group chat
– Ctrl+ Backspace – Jump to search bar
Now that you know how to install and use WhatsApp Desktop on PC and Mac, go ahead and enjoy the app. Rumors are, Facebook will soon add video calling capabilities to WhatsApp so if you’ve already been relying on the app, it might become your daily driver for video chat as well.
