Despite strong competition from the likes of Telegram and Signal, WhatsApp remains the most popular messaging platform by a mile. At the last count in 2020, the Facebook-owned service had more than 2 billion WhatsApp users around the globe and rising.

whatsapp mac
If you consider that it had 1.5 billion users in 2018 and 1 billion in 2016, then the number of active WhatsApp accounts has been increasing at half a billion every two years.

In 2018, the service said it was host to 64 billion encrypted messages on its most successful day. While the vast majority of these messages will have been exchanged over smartphones, it is possible to use WhatsApp on a Mac. Keep reading to learn how.

How WhatsApp Works on Mac

There are two principle ways that you can access your WhatsApp account from your Mac. You can use the WhatsApp website for a web-based experience, or if you don't like the sound of that, you can use a separate chat client instead.

Mac app store
WhatsApp offers its own free WhatsApp Desktop app available on the Mac App Store, where you'll find other third-party WhatsApp clients also available, such as FreeChat and ChatMate. Which one you choose is a matter of preference, because they all basically do the same thing – let you access and participate in your WhatsApp conversations on your Mac.

How to Use WhatsApp on Your Mac

  1. Open a browser on your Mac and navigate to the WhatsApp Web website. Alternately, launch WhatsApp Desktop for macOS or a third-party WhatsApp-supporting app.
  2. Launch WhatsApp on your iPhone.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Select WhatsApp Web/Desktop.
  5. Tap the big blue Link a Device button.
    whatsapp

  6. Point your ‌iPhone‌'s camera at your Mac's screen to capture the QR code shown on the WhatsApp Web website or within the desktop app you're using.
    qr-code

Once the QR code is scanned and the sync is complete, you'll be able to see all the conversations that you've had on your ‌iPhone‌ right there on your Mac. You'll also have the ability to send and receive text and voice-based messages, get involved in group chats, and have access to all of the other things that you're used to doing on your ‌iPhone‌, just now on your Mac's desktop as well.

How to Unlink WhatsApp on Your Mac

You can unlink your WhatsApp account from the computer you're using anytime by following these steps.

  1. Launch WhatsApp on your ‌iPhone‌.
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. Select WhatsApp Web/Desktop.
  4. Under "Device Status," select the browser or app that you previously linked your account to.
  5. Tap Log Out.whatsapp

Now that you've unlinked your account from the computer, nobody else who later uses it will have access to your WhatsApp conversations.

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

WSJ: Apple Weighing Price Hikes for iPhone 17 Lineup Without Blaming Tariffs

Monday May 12, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 models set to release this fall, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal. The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to U.S. tariffs on goods from China. The...
tvOS 18 Feature

Apple Releases tvOS 18.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple TV‌ owners who have...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia 15.5‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Expected This Week With These New Features

Monday May 12, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.5 to the general public this week. While the software update is relatively minor, it still includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones. Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.5. Pride Wallpaper Apple recently announced its 2025 Pride Collection, including a new Apple Watch band, watch face,...
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

Report: Apple Preparing to Launch Mind-Control Support for iPhones

Tuesday May 13, 2025 6:18 am PDT by
Apple is planning to allow users to natively control iPhones, iPads, and other devices using brain signals later this year, The Wall Street Journal reports. The initiative involves a partnership with Synchron, a neurotechnology startup that produces an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) device called the Stentrode. The Stentrode enables users with severe motor impairments, such as...