For several years now, WhatsApp , in addition to its mobile application (iOS and Android), allows us to communicate via PC, regardless of the operating system we use on it. WhatsApp Web is the desktop client of the messaging service , a tool that makes it possible to keep an eye on the messaging application without having to look at the mobile.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll cover everything from the basics to the most advanced features of WhatsApp Web, so that whether you’ve used this service before or it’s your first time using it, you can fully master it in a matter of minutes. We’ll cover everything from how to use WhatsApp Web on a PC to reading messages without them knowing, among other tips and tricks.
What is WhatsApp Web
As its name suggests, WhatsApp Web is a web application that we can run from the browser of our devices, whether mobile or computer. Initially, WhatsApp was only usable from the mobile app, where it was born, but over time and due to user requests, it enabled a website where you can chat normally without having to install the official application.
The URL is as simple as can be: web.whatsapp.com . As soon as we access it, it will ask us to scan the QR code to enable our account, something we will tell you step by step in the next section .
How to use WhatsApp Web on your computer
One of the main uses of WhatsApp Web is to configure it on our computer, so that we don’t have to keep an eye on our mobile while we are at the desktop. Here we have two main ways to work with it . The first is to do it through the web version of WhatsApp, the page. If you want to access WhatsApp Web from your PC, these are the steps to follow:
Open WhatsApp on your phone
Tap on menu and go to Linked devices
Tap Link a device
Scan the QR code you see on your computer screen
Done. After scanning the code, you will be logged into WhatsApp Web , which will allow you to use the service. Until recently, the connection to WhatsApp Web depended on the mobile phone, but since the arrival of multi-device mode , it can be used even if the phone is turned off or offline.
If you want to use WhatsApp on your PC without going through the browser, the app provides the same features and a somewhat more accomplished user experience.
The other way to use WhatsApp on your computer is through the official application for your corresponding platform. In the case of macOS and Windows, we find WhatsApp clients, so you just need to download them .
The WhatsApp application is almost identical to WhatsApp Web, except that its operation is better, being an application specially designed for computers and not just a web
Regarding WhatsApp for PC, we find almost the same functions as in WhatsApp Web. Its main advantage is that it does not require a browser to run like any other application and that we can configure it to start when we turn on the computer , so we save ourselves from opening the browser and accessing WhatsApp Web.
Once we have configured these programs, when we open them the session will be started , just like in WhatsApp Web. We will only have to log in again using the QR code if we change devices or if we close the session manually.
Now, there is a crucial difference between WhatsApp Web in the browser and in the desktop application . And that is that, in the desktop version we can make calls and video calls, something that is currently impossible in the browser version. And, in addition, depending on the user, it can be an element that helps them decide on one version or the other.
How to use WhatsApp Web on a tablet
After many years of waiting, the WhatsApp application can now be installed on tablets , so you can use the same application that you use on your mobile on your tablet . Your mobile will still be the primary device, but you will connect the WhatsApp application to your account as a linked device.
To do this, you basically have to install WhatsApp on your tablet, open the application and follow the instructions on the screen. WhatsApp will show you a QR code on the tablet that you must scan with your mobile phone, from the Linked Devices settings.
Of course, if you prefer it for whatever reason, you can also use WhatsApp Web on your tablet . This can be a good option for occasional use for which you don’t want to install anything additional. To use WhatsApp Web on your tablet you must follow these steps:
Access your usual browser
Activate desktop mode
Perform the same process above, scanning the QR code that WhatsApp Web displays on your tablet from your mobile phone
With this small change we make the browser understand that we are using a computer, so we can use WhatsApp Web on the tablet , as if it were a PC. Keep in mind that this version is designed for PC and not for tablet, so it may not be as perfect in terms of interface with respect to the computer.
How to use WhatsApp Web on mobile
Using WhatsApp Web on a mobile phone is also possible, although a secondary device will be required to carry out the process , as it is not possible to use the WhatsApp application and WhatsApp Web simultaneously. If we try to scan the WhatsApp Web QR code from our own phone, we will be returned to the Android application. Thus, the process for using WhatsApp Web from a mobile phone is similar to the previous ones, although with the addition of the second phone.
Open WhatsApp Web on your secondary mobile
Activate the desktop mode of the browser
Scan the code from your main phone (the one on which you have the WhatsApp application installed)
Now you will have WhatsApp Web fully functional on the second mobile and working via app on the main one.
Of course, unless you have an iOS device and an Android device, doing this doesn’t make much sense . A while ago it did, as it was the way to have WhatsApp on two devices at the same time, but since you can have WhatsApp on two phones at the same time without any tricks or anything special, it doesn’t make much sense to open WhatsApp Web on the phone. If you want to do it, we’ve left you the way here, but it’s better to download the native app.
What you can and cannot do on WhatsApp Web
Above, WhatsApp Web on desktop with voice and video calling options. Below, WhatsApp Web in browser.
WhatsApp Web is quite complete in terms of functionality and we can perform the main functions of WhatsApp such as sending and receiving messages, voice notes, checking multimedia files and so on. However, there is a list to keep in mind with certain functions that we cannot perform , although little by little it is gaining these functions to match the mobile version:
Add filters to photos (you can only blur)
Share location
Set up account options such as changing your phone number
View data usage and other statistics
Add contacts (although you can write to numbers without saving)
Create broadcasts
Little by little it has become more and more complete and we can do surveys, send contacts and even make stickers with our photos , so the above list frequently decreases every time new WhatsApp functions on mobile are added to WhatsApp on the web.
If you use WhatsApp Web on a mobile phone, the functions are the same, although you should keep in mind that the service is not optimized for this format, so it may work a bit slowly and be somewhat inconvenient.
However, through Android permissions we can send files, messages, voice notes and more, just as if we were doing it from the web on PC or from the WhatsApp application for PC itself.
What to do if WhatsApp Web doesn’t work for you
WhatsApp Web isn’t perfect, so it can suffer from connection issues or crashes, just like the mobile app itself. If your phone has any kind of connection problem, WhatsApp Web will crash , so always check your phone to see if it’s the main culprit.
WhatsApp Web no longer requires you to keep your phone on and connected to the Internet, although it does require it to connect to the network from time to time. If not, the session will expire and you will have to register again.Tricks for WhatsApp Web
Now that we’ve seen how to use WhatsApp Web , and after reviewing its main functions, we’re going to review some tricks so you can start getting the most out of it, since there are several shortcuts and secrets that it doesn’t hurt to know.
Check the sessions that are started
One of the first steps to take when we start using WhatsApp Web is to control the number of active sessions . We can check this from ‘WhatsApp Web’ in the WhatsApp settings for Android. This way, we can take a look at all the sessions we have open to see if we have left them on, for example, the work computer.
To access this section, on the main WhatsApp page, go to the three vertical dots in the upper right area and click on ‘Linked devices’. Once this is done, you will see the sessions and you can link a new device or close an open session.Keyboard shortcuts
WhatsApp Web has several keyboard shortcuts so you can navigate the application more quickly. Specifically, this is the list of the most commonly used available shortcuts.
Ctrl + N : New chat.
Ctrl + E: Archive the conversation
Ctrl + Shift + M : Mute the conversation
Ctrl + Backspace : Delete the conversation
Ctrl + Shift + U : Mark as unread
Ctrl + Shift + N : Create a new group
Ctrl + P : Open profile
Alt + F4 : Close the chat window
Ctrl + Alt + / : Search
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F : Search in chat
Crtl + Alt + Shift + Tab : Previous chat
Ctrl + Alt + Tab : Next chat
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + P : Pin chat
Ctrl + Alt + N : New chat
Alt + K : Expand search
Crtl + Alt + S : Sticker panel
Ctrl + Alt + E : Emojis Panel
Shift + , : Slow down the selected voice message
Attach files
Attaching files on WhatsApp Web is quite similar to the same system found on Android, except that we cannot share our location or audio files. This means that we have seven possibilities in the attachments section .
Attach photos and videos from your PC’s file explorer
Open your PC’s camera to take and send a photo
Send documents from file explorer
Send contacts
Send document
Take survey
New sticker
Read messages without them knowing
A “ninja” trick to read messages on WhatsApp Web without leaving a trace is to place the mouse right over the message that has just been sent to us. This will generate a small preview of it and, if you have the double blue check activated, the other person will not see that you have seen said message, since you have not entered the conversation.
Using multiple accounts
If you have more than one phone number, you may be wondering how to log in to two different WhatsApp Web sessions, taking into account that the application is not a multi-account application. The easiest solution here is to open an incognito window in your browser to be able to perform the login process again.
Send emojis quickly
One of the most useful tricks for WhatsApp Web is to control the quick search for emojis . The web service offers different emoji suggestions when we write a word preceded by a colon.
Transfer files from mobile to PC
WhatsApp is far from Telegram in terms of using it as a cloud, but you can also use it to send things from your mobile to your PC and vice versa . To do this, you can use the usual tricks to have a chat with yourself , although the application makes it easy to do so from the new message menu. There you appear as a contact at the very top.
The files you send to WhatsApp Web can be viewed and saved on your mobile and vice versa, so it is a good method to transfer files between mobile and PC quickly and easily, as well as being able to send notes, addresses or anything else.
Create a shortcut
If you regularly use WhatsApp Web on your mobile or tablet, it can be a hassle to constantly access the web, so creating a shortcut to have WhatsApp Web in the launcher can be a good idea.
All you have to do is open the browser, go to the address and add to home screen . Since it is not a progressive web application, you will not confuse the icon with that of the WhatsApp application, since the icon that appears will be based on your browser.
Activate dark mode
WhatsApp Web allows you to activate dark mode , either manually or in line with the theme of your operating system, Windows or macOS. To do this, you just have to go to the settings menu, click on ‘Theme’ and select the one you want. It can also be the default one set by the system.
Use WhatsApp Web with your phone turned off
As we said at the beginning, WhatsApp recently launched the multi-device mode that allows us to use WhatsApp from other devices without depending on the mobile. This makes WhatsApp Web work without the need for the mobile to be on or have a network connection all the time.
To use it, you just need to update WhatsApp to the latest version (if you haven’t already) and log in to the web version as usual. You’ll notice that the annoying ‘phone offline’ message will no longer appear.Set up automatic download
A few years ago, this wasn’t possible, but now it’s possible to configure automatic file downloads . Or not. Go to the three vertical dots at the top right, click on ‘Settings’ and go to ‘Multimedia file downloads’. There, select what you want to download automatically.
Chat with messages that delete themselves
Something we’ve been able to do for a few weeks now is to set up a chat with self-destructing messages . To do this, all you have to do is go to ‘Settings’ and open the ‘Privacy’ tab. Once this is done, select the ‘Temporary messages’ section and configure them to be deleted after twenty-four hours, seven or ninety days.
This will automatically set a new chat time limit for reading, but it won’t affect existing chats and messages . If you want to set an expiration for existing chats as well, you’ll need to open and set them individually.
Quick reactions to messages
A great feature to avoid having to speak is to react to messages . Instead of just saying “ok”, it’s better to send a mini emoji to the message you want to respond to. When you hover over a message, a smiley face icon will appear to the right of it. If you click on it, a bar with quick reaction emojis and a ‘+’ symbol will appear if you want more reactions.
Create stickers from your photos
And one cool thing is that we can create stickers on WhatsApp Web . In a chat, all we have to do is select the ‘+’ icon at the bottom and click on ‘New sticker’. It will ask us to upload a file and we can cut out the outline quite precisely to save it to our account.
If you want to reuse that sticker later, you can do so easily by tapping on the smiley face icon in the writing bar. You can also use these personalized stickers later from WhatsApp on your mobile or tablet.