WhatsApp releases Windows app that works without phone online

WhatsApp has released its native app for Windows. The desktop app no ​​longer requires the phone to be online to function. The app has been in beta for months and now the stable version is available.

It is no longer a web app, but it is a native app, says WhatsApp. As a result, it should function faster than the old one electron-version. In addition, the app includes the new way of multidevice, which means that it no longer requires the phone to be online to send and receive messages. Other chat apps have been able to do that for years, but that was impossible with WhatsApp until now.

The app is live in the Microsoft Store. Linking is done in the usual way via Linked Devices in the WhatsApp settings on the phone. The web version will also remain available, according to the Meta subsidiary. A version for macOS is also coming, WhatsApp says. Whether there will also be a Linux version, WhatsApp does not say.