WhatsApp is releasing a native app built with Mac Catalyst

After releasing a native Universal Windows Platform beta app for Windows last year, there is important news today: WhatsApp has given us access to a very early, very limited early-beta program for a small number of people to test a future WhatsApp beta for macOS!

Two months ago, we posted news about a new WhatsApp app under development: WhatsApp for macOS. It is true that there is already another desktop app for WhatsApp on macOS, but it is built with a framework called Electron to wrap WhatsApp Web. Instead, WhatsApp for macOS is built with Catalyst, so we have a higher performance and the app uses fewer resources in terms of memory. It's now the time to give the beta app a look...

As you can see in this screenshot, the new WhatsApp for macOS app looks very different from WhatsApp Desktop: it has a left sidebar that lets us quickly switch to different sections such as calls, chats, and settings. There are also two shortcuts to archived chats and starred messages.
If you want to test the new beta app for macOS, you can do it by visiting our TestFlight page.
Some things about features and design may not properly work since this is a very early beta, like syncing the chat history, and some features are currently unavailable: Status, Group calls, Location sending, and voice messaging. In case you decide to join the beta program, after installing the app you need to link your WhatsApp account on iOS or Android to WhatsApp on your Mac by opening "Linked Device" within WhatsApp Settings from your mobile device. After scanning the QR code, you're ready to use WhatsApp on your Mac.

Since this is a beta app, feedback is very appreciated because it can help WhatsApp improve the app. You can share your feedback within the TestFlight app by clicking on "Send beta feedback" or by navigating to WhatsApp Settings > Help > Contact Us. Note that there are limited spots to join the beta, so the beta should be limited to users that can test it on macOS. If you don't have a Mac, please do not join because you're taking off any possibility for other people to join and it is useless since WhatsApp for macOS won't show up within TestFlight for iPhone/iPad.

Follow WABetaInfo on Twitter to always be up to date about WhatsApp news, and you can discover all other changes implemented on WhatsApp beta for Android, iOS, Web/Desktop, and Windows!

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