Following the release of leaked documents showing a WhatsApp desktop client being in the works, WhatsApp has now officially introduced the offering for Mac (and Windows) via their company blog.
From WhatsApp:
Today we're introducing a desktop app so you have a new way to stay in touch anytime and anywhere - whether on your phone or computer at home or work. Like WhatsApp Web, our desktop app is simply an extension of your phone: the app mirrors conversations and messages from your mobile device.
The new desktop app is available for Windows 8+ and Mac OS 10.9+ and is synced with WhatsApp on your mobile device. Because the app runs natively on your desktop, you'll have support for native desktop notifications, better keyboard shortcuts, and more.
To download the app, visit https://www.whatsapp.com/download from your desktop browser. Then, open the app and scan the QR code using the WhatsApp app on your phone (look for WhatsApp Web menu under Settings).
The app itself is similar to that of WhatsApp web, so if you've used that previously, setting up the desktop client should be a breeze. It's available for Mac OS X 10.9 and higher, as well as Windows 8 and higher.
When it comes to supported devices, it all remains the same as WhatsApp as well, meaning there's now support for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 10, Nokia S60 and now both Mac and Windows.
- WhatsApp Desktop for Mac OS 10.9+ - Free - Download Now
Reader comments
WhatsApp introduces new desktop app for Mac
Yay finally!! :-)
Sent from the iMore App
Boooooo!
Give me an iPad app.
Sent from the iMore App
Finally!
i've been using "Chat", an unofficial WhatsApp client for mac. It's basically just a WhatsApp Web wrapper.
Thats exactly what this is...
Well done, you might as well just keep using Chat as this is also just a WhatsApp Web wrapper.
I was excited to try this...
Posted via the iMore App for Android
I would love for iMessage to go cross platform. I totally understand why they won't do it but it would so quickly become the standard.
Whatsapp will just have to suffice. Happy to see a desktop version.
~TheRealFixxxer
This isn't really a "Desktop" version, it's a web version, this "application" is just a web wrapper, essentially a single browser window dedicated to the Whatsapp web interface that has its own icon in the Dock
"The app itself is similar to that of WhatsApp web"
No it's not similar, it's exactly the same. In fact this is just a wrapper for the web client, it's the equivalent of dedicated a browser window just for the website, which means it suffers from all the same problems as the web version
I never even thought to look for a web client. What issues does it have?
~TheRealFixxxer
I think the issues are specific to iOS due to the limitations of iOS, but as the web client has to always be connected to the app on the phone, sometimes it will lose connection with the phone without telling you, and "Online/Typing" status underneath the person's name on a chat will often disappear meaning you have to click someone else then click back onto the previous chat to see whether the person is still online or typing. Sometimes the connection will drop and it will tell you, despite both devices still being online on the same WiFi. It's just very intermittent
Interesting. I only used it a little bit yesterday so I didn't notice that but I'll have to keep an eye out for that.
Thanks for the heads up.
~TheRealFixxxer