WhatsApp this year introduced a new version of its macOS app that was completely rebuilt from scratch to run natively on Mac computers. This app was launched in August but was only available through the WhatsApp website. As of today, the native WhatsApp app for macOS is also available to download from the Mac App Store.
New WhatsApp for macOS available on the App Store
The news was shared by the WhatsApp team (via MacMagazine), and according to Meta (which owns the platform), the new WhatsApp for macOS is now available “globally” on the Mac App Store. The Mac app has been merged with the iPhone app on the App Store, so it’s now a universal app with a single download link.
Tests with the new version of WhatsApp for macOS began in July last year. While the old version is essentially a web app built with Electron, the new app is based on the iPhone version and has been ported to macOS with Catalyst technology.
Because of this, WhatsApp on the Mac now runs faster and gets the same features available on the iPhone, such as group audio and video calls. It’s worth noting that native apps also use fewer hardware resources, so they help save some battery life – which is great for MacBook users.
With the Mac app, WhatsApp users can access their account right from their computer even when their phone isn’t around. However, the Mac version is only a companion app, which means you still need a WhatsApp account set up on the phone to use it. WhatsApp has also been running tests with a beta version for the iPad.
WhatsApp is available for free on the App Store. While the iPhone version requires iOS 12 or later, the Mac version requires macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later.
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