How to use WhatsApp from your computer

Tired of only being able to access your WhatsApp conversations on your phone? Start using WhatsApp Web.

 

Typing long messages or holding multiple WhatsApp conversations on your smartphone is possible, but there are times when typing away on a full keyboard and viewing messages on a full-size computer screen would be better.
For those times, you can use WhatsApp's Web platform to send and receive messages with your WhatsApp contacts.

Requirements

According to WhatsApp's support page, you can use WhatsApp on the Web if your phone is one of the following:

• Android
• iPhone 8.1+
• Windows Phone 8.0 and 8.1
• Nokia S60, Nokia S40 EVO
• BlackBerry and BlackBerry 10

When you're using WhatsApp Web, your phone will still need to have a data or Wi-Fi connection. That's because the platform essentially mirrors the app on your smartphone. So if, for example, you're travelin

How to set up WhatsApp Web

The bulk of the setup is pairing your phone with WhatsApp Web.

1. Using Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari or Edge, head to https://web.whatsapp.com/.
2. You'll see a QR code for you to scan with the WhatsApp phone app. Just below the code, you'll see instructions for where that scanning option lies within the app. For example, in the iOS app, tap on settings, then WhatsApp Web.
3. After scanning the code, your WhatsApp messages will display on your phone and in the browser. A Wi-Fi connection isn't required for your phone, but WhatsApp recommends one to cut back on the amount of cellular data used by your phone.

The layout of WhatsApp Web mirrors the mobile experience, just on a larger scale. You can still send emoji, photos and voice notes, view your contact list, and receive notifications on the computer.

A note on security

Going forward, anyone who has access to your computer will be able to pull up your WhatsApp conversations as long as you remain logged in. If your computer is password-protected, that's probably not a big deal. But when using WhatsApp Web from a public computer, sign out when you're finished. You can do that by clicking on the three-dot menu icon and selecting Log out.
If you forget to log out of WhatsApp Web on a computer that's not yours, or you suspect someone has gained access to your account, you can log out of all active sessions by visiting the same settings page you used to scan the QR Code. (For iOS, again, that would be Settings > WhatsApp Web.)

Source: CNET Tech