WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging platforms worldwide, with over 2 billion active users. Its developers continue to innovate to ensure users remain loyal to the app. Apart from its mobile application, WhatsApp can also be accessed via computers. In this article, we will discuss the difference between the Web version and the Desktop version of WhatsApp.
Difference between WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop
WhatsApp Web and Desktop are computer-based extensions of the WhatsApp account on your phone. The messages you send and receive are synced between your phone and computer, and you can see your messages on both devices
The main differences between WhatsApp Web and Desktop are pretty minimal, one is the format or form of the platform. WhatsApp Web is a Web-based format, while WhatsApp Desktop is an application program for computers.
Accessing WhatsApp Web can be done via a browser on a computer. Users can open a browser application and go to the https://web.whatsapp.com page. Then, the user links the WhatsApp account on the phone to the page by following a few simple steps.
On the other hand, WhatsApp Desktop access requires downloading the app from the official WhatsApp website. After downloading, the user links their WhatsApp account on the phone to the app, which can be done by scanning the QR code that appears on WhatsApp Desktop using the phone’s camera in the mobile WhatsApp application.
Differences in Features
WhatsApp Desktop has one main advantage over WhatsApp Web, it supports video calls and phone calls.
On the other hand, WhatsApp Web is pretty accessible and lightweight.
Which one to choose?
WhatsApp Desktop has minimum requirements that must be met by the user’s computer, and can only be used on computer devices that are capable of running at least the operating system version of Windows 8.1 and later or Mac OS 10.10 or later. So, if your computer or laptop does not meet these minimum requirements, it is recommended to use WhatsApp Web.
If a user’s device is limited to minimal standards, the application cannot run optimally. Thus, it is better to choose between WhatsApp Web or Desktop based on the ability and capacity of the user’s computer.
Both WhatsApp Web and Desktop are equally accessible via a computer. While WhatsApp Desktop has advantages over WhatsApp Web, such as video and phone calls, it is only recommended for users with computers that meet the minimum requirements. Otherwise, it is better to use WhatsApp Web for optimal performance.
