Updated Jan, 2017.
Tired of typing on your tiny mobile keyboard for tens/hundreds of WhatsApp message everyday? Well, the wait is officially over. Previously, if you wanted to use WhatsApp on your desktop, you had to resort to third-party clients such as AirDroid 3, emulators such as Bluestack. Recently WhatsApp has made their free messaging app available on the web, operated from your desktop (Mac or Windows PC). Now you can write/reply WhatsApp messages on your desktop in your Study while your mobile is charging in your bedroom. Extremely easy to ‘install’/use, see my step to step guide…You need (install/update them first if needed):
- desktop Mac or PC, or one with Chrome installed (Firefox and Opera supported too since late Feb 2015) And either
- in any browser, just open the site https://web.whatsapp.com/ OR
- by downloading an app from WhatsApp and install – https://www.whatsapp.com/download/ (this latter method seems to be more robust when opening videos or larger files/photos on your PC)
- In either case, you have to use your mobile phone to scan the QR Code shown in the web.whatsapp broswer or the App
- smartphone with latest version of Whatsapp (mine is 2.11.528 for Android).
Step by step guide:
- On your desktop – open Chrome, then open/launch this link (web.whatsapp.com) where you’d see a QR code.
- On your mobile, open Whatsapp, go to its TOP page where you see all your latest messages under various contacts.
- Go to Options (the 3 line bar thing at the left bottom black bar of your Galaxy e.g., some phone places this at the top right), place your phone in front of the QR code on your desktop monitor screen ready to scan it, then select “WhatsApp Web” Option on your mobile to activate scanning of this code.
- Voila! All your WhatsApp (WhatsApp Web will automatically be launched on your PC. You’ll be presented with a complete chat history, alongside a series of other available options) are now instantly shown on your desktop where you can just send and receive message as usual but with a huge screen and a quick keyboard! Your desktop and your mobile are in sync.
- Just keep connecting your mobile with your desktop via the WiFi . If you log out, or next time you want to get in, just repeat the above. Easy.
