Using WhatsApp on the computer can be very useful: we don’t want to have to stop to look at the phone when we receive a message and are working. We do not have to leave the keyboard to answer chats or it can simply be useful to have WhatsApp on the computer to transfer files or photos from the PC to the phone. Be that as it may, we can use the messaging application on the PC at no cost thanks to a free application that we can download for Windows or Mac.
We can download WhatsApp on the computer if we want to have the desktop version. From 2021 it is possible to use the messaging application without having to have the mobile phone on as long as we have previously linked both devices. First we must download the application on the computer and then we will link it to our smartphone with a SIM card. We explain how.
Install WhatsApp on the computer
The first thing we must do to use the desktop version is go to the official WhatsApp page to download it. It is available for Mac and for PC. We must bear in mind that we need to have a version of Windows 8 or higher if we have the Microsoft operating system or a version of Mac OS X 10.10 or higher if you have an Apple brand computer. If so, from the WhatsApp website we download the .exe file to our computer. Once the download is complete, we have to install it step by step to be able to send messages and photos from the PC or Mac.
When you have downloaded the WhatsAppSetup.exe file, click on it to start the installation on your computer. A window will open in which it explains step by step how we should “use WhatsApp on the computer” along with a QR code that will change every few seconds. And we must have the phone at hand in order to complete the installation successfully.
- We open WhatsApp on the mobile phone
- We touch on the three menu points in the upper right corner
- We open the section “Linked devices”
- We touch on “Link a device”
- The mobile phone camera will be opened
- Focus the mobile phone on the QR code on the computer screen
Both options will automatically be linked and we will be able to have all the conversations and groups on the computer without having to write from the mobile to respond. But this has a drawback: your phone and your computer are completely linked by following these steps and WhatsApp will not be able to work on the computer if the smartphone is turned off, out of coverage or without Internet.
WhatsApp on PC without mobile phone
But since the end of 2021 the beta version is available for various devices. It allows, as explained from the application itself, to use up to four additional devices and a phone at the same time without having to stay connected to the mobile to send or receive messages, to send files, etc. It is not necessary now that your phone is connected and turned on but we can use WhatsApp on PC independently if you have a SIM card in a phone that you do not use, for example, or if it is the work phone and you want to not use it on your mobile and yes on the computer. For a while this function is in beta version but we can use it until it finally reaches all users of the application.
How? The steps are identical to the previous ones at the beginning: we open WhatsApp on our mobile phone, tap on the three points of the menu in the upper left corner and choose the “linked devices” option. Here we will see the option to link a device but just below it we will find the message that indicates “Beta version for several devices: Use up to four devices without keeping your phone connected. Tap for more information.” You may or may not see the message depending on whether or not you have updated the app. If you see it, tap on it.
The conditions will appear here: we will not be able to send messages or make calls to users with outdated versions and there are some unsupported features such as real-time location or emptying or deleting chats if your main device is an iPhone. When we have read everything, we touch on “Join the beta version”. A drop-down menu will appear to confirm. We confirm with “Continue”
After a few seconds you will be part of the beta version and the steps are identical to the previous ones: we touch the green button “link a device” and scan the QR code that appears in the application or program on the computer. So we will link both. You will see that a message appears on the computer indicating that end-to-end encryption is being carried out and you will see that the word “beta” appears in the upper left corner, unlike the previous case. That will mean that we have the latest version and we will be able to use it regardless of the mobile phone.
Try turning off your mobile phone or putting on Airplane Mode and you will see how your WhatsApp messages continue to be sent from your computer connected to the Internet. In addition, from the “linked devices” section of WhatsApp we will see all the devices that we have activated and we can close the session whenever we want.
How to use WhatsApp on the computer
The steps to use WhatsApp on your computer are simple because the interface is practically identical to the one you have on your mobile phone, although with a different format. On the left side of the screen we will see the list of chats, always visible. In the rest of the screen, the conversation that you have open at that moment.
The buttons and icons are exactly the same as on the smartphone. In the upper left part of the screen we have an icon to see WhatsApp States (a circumference divided into three parts) as well as a “+” icon that allows us to create a new conversation. And the three adjustment points that take us to configuration, new group or featured messages. In addition, from here we will close the session when we have finished using it if the computer is shared.
Inside the chat window, the icons are identical: at the bottom a little face to access emojis, a clip that allows us to attach files or images and a microphone on the right side that will allow us to record voice notes. In the upper right part three points that allow us to: access the group info, select messages, silence notifications, empty messages and exit.
Other options: WhatsApp Web
Using WhatsApp on the computer can be done from the desktop application and it is the best option thanks to the fact that it allows us all the functions: video calls, messages, file sharing, broadcast lists… But it is not the only option. Not only can we download the program to use it independently, but the messaging application has its own version for the browser that allows us to access our chats directly from a page. Specifically, it is WhatsApp Web and surely you have tried it at some time or have heard of it.
WhatsApp Web is an option on computers that do not want to install anything. For example, on the computer at work or in class. You can use them for a specific time and leave the session closed when you finish without having to install a program.
Using WhatsApp Web is very simple: we simply go to web.whatsapp.com in the browser and we will see the QR code on the screen. We follow the previous steps with the mobile phone and scan the code that appears:
- We open WhatsApp
- We touch on the three points in the upper right corner of the app
- We tap on “Linked devices”
- The phone camera will open
- We scan the code
Both must be connected to the Internet if we have the classic version of the app, but we can maintain them independently if we have the beta version mentioned in previous paragraphs.
