Facebook-owned WhatsApp is one of the world’s most popular instant messaging service. It may not be hugely popular in the US, but it’s replaced SMS as the preferred method of text-based, phone-to-phone communication for nearly a billion users.

But now you don’t need to unlock your phone to use WhatsApp. There’s been a web interface for a while, and now WhatsApp has also launched desktop apps for Windows and OS X.

whatsapp desktop_02

You still need a smartphone to start using WhatsApp. In order to register your account with the desktop app, you’ll be asked to scan a QR phone with the mobile app.

This helps link WhatsApp’s desktop app to your account… which is tied to your phone number.

Once that’s done, all of your communications will be synchronized between your phone and your desktop. That means messages sent on one device will be displayed on the other. It also means you can view incoming messages and other notifications on your computer without unlocking your phone.

whatsapp desktop

Support Liliputing

Liliputing's primary sources of revenue are advertising and affiliate links (if you click the "Shop" button at the top of the page and buy something on Amazon, for example, we'll get a small commission).

But there are several ways you can support the site directly even if you're using an ad blocker* and hate online shopping.

Contribute to our Patreon campaign

or...

Contribute via PayPal

* If you are using an ad blocker like uBlock Origin and seeing a pop-up message at the bottom of the screen, we have a guide that may help you disable it.

Subscribe to Liliputing via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 9,547 other subscribers