What Is WhatsApp Web And How To Use It?

Bradley Flemming

Bradley Flemming

What Is WhatsApp Web And How To Use It

Last Updated on

This article will go over how to use WhatsApp Web and what it is in the first place. So keep on reading to find out.

Whatsapp Is the world’s most popular messaging platform with over 2 billion monthly active users. It is primarily for iPhone and Android mobiles, but WhatsApp released versions that you can use on your desktop. These include a WhatsApp desktop application and a web browser version. To use the web version of WhatsApp you need to have it installed on your smartphone, and have an active account.

What is WhatsApp Web?

Whatsapp Web allows you to have all the functionality of WhatsApp but from your Mac or Windows PC’s web browser. It links your account on the WhatsApp mobile app with the Whatsapp web client. So in order for it to work you need to be signed into your WhatsApp account on your smartphone. Currently using the web client is not supported on iPads, tablets, or mobile devices.

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Here are some key things you should know:

  • You need to be logged into WhatsApp on your smartphone.
  • You must have the latest version of WhatsApp installed.
  • Files aren’t downloaded onto your computer, although they can be viewed they must be saved onto your phone later.
  • Broadcast messages, location sharing, and saving contacts aren’t allowed too

How to Use WhatsApp Web

What you will need:

  • A smartphone with an active WhatsApp account.
  • A stable internet connection on both your smartphone and computer.
  • Updated web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.

Step

1

Accessing WhatsApp Web

    1. Open a web browser on your computer
    2. Go to WhatsApp Web.
    3. You’ll see a QR code displayed on the screen.

Step

2

Connecting your phone

    1. Open WhatsApp on your smartphone.
    2. For Android: Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and from the drop-down menu select Linked devices, then press the link device button
    3. For iPhone: Go to “Settings” in the bottom-right corner and from the drop-down menu select Linked devices, then press the link device button.
    4. Scan the QR code displayed on your computer screen using your phone’s camera.

If you are having issues scanning the QR code, then check our guide on how to fix an invalid WhatsApp QR code.

Step

3

Verifying the connection

    1. WhatsApp will now sync with WhatsApp Web,
    2. Your phone needs an active internet connection for WhatsApp Web to work.

Layout

  • On the left-hand side of the screen, you’ll find a list of your contacts and group chats.
  • Click on a contact or group to view the conversation in the main window.

Sending messages

  • To send a message, click on the input field at the bottom of the screen.
  • With your keyboard type your message and press Enter to send it.
  • You are also able to use keyboard shortcuts.
  • You are able to send voice messages by pressing the microphone icon.
  • You can also send emojis, stickers, images, videos, and documents like on the mobile app

Managing chats

  • To start a new chat, click on the “New Chat” button in the top-left corner.
  • users are able to search for contacts using the search bar at the top of the screen.
  • To archive or delete a chat, hover over it and click on the three-dot menu.
  • You can also mute notifications, and access contact/group info.

Additional features

The features are similar to the mobile app, including audio calls and video calls, viewing shared media, editing your profile, such as your profile picture, and managing settings.

WhatsApp Web mirrors your phone’s Whatsapp app, so what you do on the web version will be synced with your phone. Make sure to log out when you’re done using it to maintain your privacy and security.

Final thoughts

WhatsApp Web is a great way to use WhatsApp while on your computer, it has all of the features you have come to expect from the mobile version of the messaging service. We’ve found that it helps with limiting distractions that come with using a mobile phone, and is great if you want to send files located on your computer’s storage. If you are still having issues, even after reading this article, then we recommend contacting WhatsApp support for further help.