WhatsApp for Windows

About this release

This is the native desktop build rather than the web interface in a wrapper, and the difference shows in how it behaves on a machine that is doing other things. It starts quickly, it uses far less memory than a browser tab holding the same conversation list, it puts notifications into the system notification centre, and it keeps working through a sleep and wake cycle without needing a reload.

Everything the phone client does with text, it does here. Individual and group conversations, replies, mentions, reactions, formatting, pinned and starred messages, disappearing message timers, message editing, forwarding and search across the whole history. Files, documents and media attach by drag and drop or paste, and anything received can be opened or saved without leaving the window.

Calling is included and is the main reason people install the desktop client at all. Voice and video calls work both directions with group calls supported, screen sharing runs during a video call, and camera, microphone and speaker devices are selectable independently, which matters on a desktop machine with more than one of each attached.

Linking is done once with a code shown on screen, and after that the client keeps working when the phone is off or out of range, because messages sync to the desktop independently rather than being relayed through the handset. Conversations, media and history stay in step across every linked device, and any device can be unlinked from the phone if it is lost.

What it does

Native application

Starts fast and uses far less memory than the same conversation list in a browser tab.

Full messaging feature set

Groups, replies, mentions, reactions, editing, pinned messages and search across history.

Voice and video calling

Group calls with screen sharing and independent camera, microphone and speaker selection.

Independent sync

Keeps working when the phone is off, since messages sync to the desktop directly.

Drag and drop files

Attach documents and media by dropping or pasting them into the conversation.

System notifications

Alerts go through the system notification centre with per conversation muting.

Changed in this version

• Lower memory use with many conversations open.
• Improved video call quality on unstable connections.
• Search rewritten with faster results across long histories.
• Notification handling reworked for per conversation control.
• Interface scaling corrected on high density displays.

System requirements

Install order

1. Unpack the archive and run the installer.
2. Open the application and link it from the phone using the code shown on screen.
3. Choose camera, microphone and speaker devices in settings before the first call.
4. Set notification behaviour per conversation once the history has synced.

Worth knowing before you start

File details