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!
| Common questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature? | WhatsApp beta for macOS |
| Status? | Available |
| Compatibility? | MacOS 11, M1 Macs and some other Intel Macs that can run apps built with Mac Catalyst are marked as compatible. |
| I want to install this beta app but it seems the beta program is full. What can I do? | Unfortunately, you cannot join the beta program when it is full. |
| Previous news? | Mark Zuckerberg announces an upgrade for message reactions |
WhatsApp released a Mac app built with Catalyst
Two months ago, we posted news about a new WhatsApp app under development: WhatsApp for Mac. While there is already another desktop app for WhatsApp on macOS, it is built with a framework called Electron to wrap WhatsApp Web. Instead, WhatsApp for Mac is built with Catalyst. This new app delivers better performance while using less memory and overall system resources.
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 see your 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 features may not properly work since this is a very early beta, like syncing the chat history. Additionally, some features are currently unavailable: Status, Group calls, Location sending, and voice messaging. In case you decide to join the beta program, you will need to link your WhatsApp account by opening "Linked Device" within the app settings from your mobile device. After scanning the QR code, you can start using 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.
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