How can I get WhatsApp on my computer?
WhatsApp is a great tool, allowing you to send messages that contain text, pictures, audio and/or video, quickly, easily and usually for free.
But what about when you don’t want to grab your phone, but instead want to use your laptop? There’s a simple fix for that – and one many business owners haven’t seen yet, so I thought it would be helpful to show you how easy it is to get WhatsApp to work on your Windows or Mac desktop/laptop.
Whether it’s that you can type faster on a full-sized keyboard (I certainly can), or it’s just easier to stay in touch if messages pop up on your main screen – or maybe you just need to see what’s happening on that #CuteKitten WhatsApp group and you don’t want to get caught checking your phone every 30 seconds. This fix is for you.
Step-step guide
First of all, head to https://www.whatsapp.com/download – on the right-hand side of the window, go ahead and download which version (Windows, Mac etc.) is right for your computer.
Once installed, you’ll see a setup screen with a QR code showing. Hold on to that for now, because the next step involves your phone.
With your mobile device, in WhatsApp, go to the menu and choose “WhatsApp Web”. This will open a camera screen that will start scanning for a QR code. Go ahead and hold that camera screen up to the screen of your desktop/laptop and let the scanner read the QR (jumble of mess shown above) code.
Your phone will give a little shake to say it’s found it and boom, you’re all set. You can send a receive WhatsApp messages from your MacBook, Chromebook (using the web app), Windows laptop – anything really.
Please note, your phone is really still doing all of the work here – it’s just sending that information to and from the app on your computer, so it will need to remain connected to an internet service (data/WiFi). Bare this in mind if you have limited/low amounts of mobile data.
