WhatsApp for Windows
Version 2.2631.102.0 · WhatsApp LLC · Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) · ranked #79 in the library
The desktop build of the messaging app, running as a real native window rather than a browser tab, so messages, calls and file transfers happen on the machine you are already working at with a proper keyboard.
Read the installation section below before you start. The order of the steps matters on this release.
About this release
Overview
This is the native desktop client for the messaging service, not the web page in a wrapper. It links to your phone account and mirrors your conversations onto the machine, with the advantage that it runs as a proper application: it keeps running when the browser is closed, it handles notifications through the system, and it lets you type with a full keyboard and drag files straight into a chat rather than fishing them through a phone.
It carries the features people actually use across from the phone. Text chats, voice and video calls, group conversations, voice messages, file and image transfer, and the disappearing and edited message handling all work from the desktop. Because it is a native build it supports drag and drop, proper copy and paste, and desktop notifications, which is the whole reason to run it rather than reaching for the phone every time a message arrives while you are at the computer.
It links through the multi device system, so once it is paired it works even when the phone is off the network, and it can be paired without scanning a code every time. It is free, carries no advertising, and installs as an ordinary application. This is the current desktop build.
What it does
Feature breakdown
Native desktop client
Runs as a real application that keeps working when the browser is closed, with system notifications and a full keyboard.
Voice and video calls
One to one and group calls from the desktop, using the machine's microphone and camera.
File and image transfer
Drag files and images straight into a chat and receive them to the machine rather than the phone.
Group conversations
Full group chat support with the same handling as the phone, including replies and mentions.
Multi device linking
Works even when the paired phone is off the network, once it has been linked.
Free with no advertising
No cost, no ads, and nothing bundled into the installer.
Changed in this build
Version 2.2631.102.0
- Improved call quality on unstable connections.
- Faster sync of large chat histories when first linked.
- Better handling of large file transfers.
- Notification behaviour refined on the current system.
- Several interface translations refreshed.
Installation
Follow these in order
- Extract the archive.
- Run the installer and complete the standard setup.
- Launch the application.
- Link it to your phone account through the multi device pairing in the phone app.
- Wait for the chat history to sync.
- Nothing else. It runs as an ordinary application.
Release notes
From whoever packed it
- It links to an existing phone account. It is a companion to the phone, not a replacement for it.
- Once linked through multi device, it works even when the phone is offline.
- It carries no advertising and installs nothing in the background beyond itself.
System requirements
Minimum and recommended
| Operating system | Windows 10 version 22H2 or Windows 11, 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Any modern x64 processor |
| Memory | 2 GB, more for large chat histories |
| Graphics | Any GPU with a current driver, a camera for video calls |
| Storage | 500 MB for the application plus space for media |
Questions about this release
Answered before you ask
- Do I need my phone?
- You need it to link the desktop client once. After that, multi device linking keeps it working even when the phone is offline.
- Can it make video calls?
- Yes, one to one and group voice and video calls work from the desktop.
- Is it free?
- Yes, it is free with no advertising.
Download
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