WhatsApp is one of the most used global social media platforms, mainly because of its unique features and comfort in terms of user experience. As of January. in 2015, WhatsApp launched its web version, that is, the feature known as WhatsApp Web is for devices like laptops, desktops, Mac, Windows, iPad, or Android tablets. Ever since the usage of this application has increased rapidly. This is mainly because the web client is an alternative platform to the usual emails, hence making the tasks like sharing of messages, files, etc. faster and efficient. If you are a WhatsApp user but still haven’t explored the WhatsApp web then this is the right article for you, as we will discuss every aspect of this desktop application and its features that one must know!
WhatsApp Web
Users prefer using a laptop or a desktop over other smart gadgets even though they might have similar features. This is mainly because of the availability of working space, efficiency, and swiftness over a larger screen when compared to a smartphone or an iPad. This is also the reason behind the success of WhatsApp Web that encouraged millions of users to adopt it in such a short range of time. In short, it precisely merged the mobile WhatsApp to desktop without compromising its features but including the comfort of sharing documents or professional matters directly from the desktop which is usually possible only through emails. Any action or changes made on WhatsApp mobile application linked to the laptop reflects on WhatsApp Web and this is applicable if changes are made vice versa as this feature allows mirroring of the applications on different platforms.
Hence, one can access WhatsApp from both devices simultaneously or remotely. The devices include Windows OS, Android OS, and iOS supporting gadgets. In the case of remote access, ensure that both the source as well as receiving devices are nearby. Now that we have an idea about how to use WhatsApp on multiple devices with the same ease, let us proceed with the detailed guide about how to use WhatsApp Web.
Also, read about: WhatsApp Introduces Voice And Video Call Features On Web: All That You Need To Know
How To Access WhatsApp Web?
To access the WhatsApp Web use a web browser or download it as a desktop application. Let us individually check out the respective steps to use them.
- Step 1
To use the browser version of WhatsApp Web, enter this URL www.web.whatsapp.com on any web browser of your choice and hit enter. One can also simply use the search words and click on the WhatsApp Web’s official link.
- Step 2
On opening the official page, you will find a unique QR code. Hence, to access WhatsApp web scan it using the smartphone to mirror or link it to the application.
- Step 3
To scan the QR code, one must use the scanner available in the mobile application and not the general scanner. To do the same, open the mobile application of WhatsApp and click on the three vertical dots on the top right corner. From the menu, scroll and click on the WhatsApp Web option. A scanner page would appear and place the QR code (on the desktop screen) in the space. Wait till the page on the web browser begins to load and your WhatsApp screen appears.
In the case of the iPhone, open the application and click on the Settings option. Now, click on the WhatsApp Web option and proceed similarly. Before gaining access to the scanner the user has to either use a fingerprint or the password set on the device to unlock successfully. This ensures that no one other than the user can get access to their data. Once the devices are successfully linked, you can simply begin to chat, share or view data similar to that on your mobile. Any changes made in the browser application would be simultaneously updated on the smartphone also.
Also, read about: Maintain Your Anonymity: 2 Ways To Disable Blue Ticks From WhatsApp
Note
- To link both the devices, that is, the smartphone and the laptop or desktop must have a strong internet connection.
- To locate the devices linked with a particular mobile application’s WhatsApp, use the smartphone settings under the WhatsApp web option, which have them listed.
- On a browser, the same application cannot be accessed on multiple tabs, hence if opened on two tabs then a prompt asking either to ‘Close’ the current tab or ‘Use here’ instead of the other tab from which the user has to choose one.
- Every time one closes the tab with the browser application, the user has to scan and link once again. To prevent this sort of repeated task, click and tick the ‘Keep signed in’ option before proceeding to scan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the FAQs that might be useful in case the usual steps to access the WhatsApp web were not successful.
Why is my desktop WhatsApp Web not working?
This problem is usually associated with the issues on your smartphone, desktop, or internet connectivity that might be preventing sending or receiving the messages.
- Issues on the smartphone
First, check whether WhatsApp’s functioning on your smartphone is normal as otherwise, it would not work on a desktop web browser as well. To check if the issue is related to the phone, try sending a message or sharing other content through the mobile application. If the issue exists then try troubleshooting accordingly with help of official webpage instructions.
- Internet connectivity issue
On the other hand, if the phone’s functioning is normal but cannot use the same on desktop then check for connectivity issues and the internet bandwidth. Strong and stable bandwidth of the connection for both devices is necessary. When the connectivity is poor, an error message stating, ‘Computer not connected’ or ‘Phone not connected’ would appear. If the computer has stable connectivity but the phone doesn’t then a dialogue box with options to either ‘Retry’ or ‘Log out’ appears with the timer.
Also, check out: Step Wise Guide To Adding Contacts Using WhatsApp QR Code
Final Words
In this article, we have discussed the steps to access WhatsApp on a desktop or laptop using the WhatsApp Web application. I hope, this was useful for you to expand your horizon of comfort in using the globally popular platform on different devices.
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