WhatsApp Web – What it is, How it Works?

We are going to explain everything you need to know about WhatsApp Web, including what it is, how it is used, and the differences from the mobile version. Even though they are clients created for the same service, there are some important differences between them.

At the moment, WhatsApp Web still relies on the mobile app to work, and some popular features of mobile devices are not implemented in the browser application. However, as you can see, the vast majority of options are available.

What Exactly is WhatsApp Web

WhatsApp Web lets you use WhatsApp in your browser, so you can write and read messages and send files. You can do practically the same as in the mobile version, but on a PC. This can be very useful, for example, if you are using WhatsApp while you are at the computer, since you will not have to constantly look at your mobile.

If we compare WhatsApp Web against WhatsApp, you will see that you have practically all the options available, from sending voice notes to sending photos. It’s missing a few things, like voice or video calls and location sharing, but otherwise it’s pretty much the same as the mobile version.

Because WhatsApp is working on its desktop feature, you can use WhatsApp Web even if you do not have your mobile device with you. Every few hours, the web version will do a kind of “ping” to make sure you’re still logged in and still you, but once you start using it, you won’t be totally dependent on mobile like you used to.

How to Configure WhatsApp Web

Using WhatsApp Web is relatively simple; you only need to follow a few steps to link your account to your mobile. For that, go to web.whatsapp.com, the service’s main page. When you do, an access QR code will appear, which you will need to scan with the mobile version of WhatsApp.

To do so, open the WhatsApp application on your mobile and open the options menu. On Android, you have to tap the three-dot button in the top right, and on iOS, you have to tap the Settings tab. Once inside, click the Linked Devices option, where you manage your connections to WhatsApp Web or the desktop version of WhatsApp.

On the Paired Devices screen, you’ll see the list of devices where you’re signed in with WhatsApp Web or the desktop version of WhatsApp. If you have never used this, it will appear blank. In any case, to log in to a new computer with WhatsApp Web, you have to click the Link a device button that appears on this screen.

When you do, you will see a crosshair scanning through the rear camera of your mobile. What you have to do is point the camera at the QR code on the web, and the WhatsApp web client will automatically sync with the application on your mobile device.

From this moment on, you will see exactly the same conversations you have on your mobile, and you will be able to interact with your friends without any problems. Everything you write on the web you will see later on your mobile, as both services will be synchronized.

WhatsApp vs. WhatsApp Web

FUNCTION	WHATSAPP	WhatsApp Web
SEND MESSAGES	Yeah	Yeah
SEND PICTURES	Yeah	Yeah
ADD FILTERS TO PHOTOS	Yeah	No
ADD COMMENTS TO PHOTOS	Yeah	Yeah
SEND MULTIPLE PHOTOS AT ONCE	Yeah	Yeah
SEND PHOTOS WITH THE CAMERA	Yeah	Yeah
SEND VIDEOS	Yeah	Yeah
SHARE DOCUMENTS	Yeah	Yeah
SHARE CONTACTS	Yeah	Yeah
SHARE LOCATION	Yeah	No
SHARE AUDIO	Yeah	No
SEND EMOJI	Yeah	Yeah
SEND GIFS	Yeah	Yeah
SEND STICKERS	Yeah	Yeah
SEND VOICE MESSAGES	Yeah	Yeah
VOICE CALLS	Yeah	No
VIDEO CALLS	Yeah	No
TEMPORARY MESSAGES	Yeah	Yeah
SEE STATES	Yeah	Yeah
CREATE STATES	Yeah	No
SEARCH CONVERSATIONS AND CONTACTS	Yeah	Yeah
SEARCH WITHIN A CONVERSATION	Yeah	Yeah
EDIT YOUR PROFILE	Yeah	Yeah
EMPTY CONVERSATION	Yeah	Yeah
PIN CONVERSATION	Yeah	Yeah
ARCHIVE CONVERSATIONS	Yeah	Yeah
MUTE CONVERSATION	Yeah	Yeah
MARK AS UNREAD	Yeah	Yeah
SET PRIVACY	Yeah	No
CONFIGURE SECURITY	Yeah	No
SET NUMBER CHANGE	Yeah	No
CONFIGURE NOTIFICATIONS	Yeah	Yeah
SET WALLPAPER	Yeah	Yeah
SET BLOCKED	Yeah	Yeah
SET AUTOMATIC DOWNLOAD	Yeah	No
CHECK DATA USAGE	Yeah	No
ADD CONTACT	Yeah	No
CREATE GROUP	Yeah	Yeah
CREATE DIFFUSION	Yeah	No

Above, you have a table comparing WhatsApp Web with WhatsApp, looking at which features are or are not available in the browser version. As you can see, most of them are there, though some quite important ones are missing.

Even so, the main chat functions are there, and you will have the entire repertoire of WhatsApp emojis as well as its search engine, so you can send animated GIFs to your contacts. You can also send voice messages in case you don’t feel like writing.

When it comes to sharing items in chats, almost all the options are there too. You will be able to share contacts, stickers, and documents. You can also open the camera to take photos with your webcam and send them, or search and send photos and videos from your device’s memory. Only the option to send location is missing.

Two other functions that are not currently available in the web version are calls. WhatsApp Web does not allow you to make voice calls, nor can you use the video calling feature. And it’s a pity, because having a computer with a webcam, video conferences could be very useful. What we are going to be able to do is start video calls of up to 50 people through Facebook Rooms, which is curious, considering that you cannot make native ones.

WhatsApp Web is not limited to conversations, and you will also be able to see and download the states of other people. However, you still won’t be able to send your statuses. You will also be able to see starred messages and start new conversations. You also have the dark mode in case you want to configure it.

In any case, as you can see in the table, you also have the vast majority of options that WhatsApp offers you in its web client. We will have to see if, when they add new things, they also take them directly to the web, or it is time to add another No to our table.

WhatsApp Web Multi-Device

Finally, another advantage of WhatsApp Web is that it allows you to use WhatsApp on two devices at the same time: log in on your main mobile, then use it on another mobile or tablet through its web version. It’s a simple trick, and the only downside is the hassle of using the browser.

On the other hand, the web version no longer requires you to have your mobile on, thanks to the multi-device system that WhatsApp is beginning to implement. Once you have linked the web with the mobile, the web will remain connected to the WhatsApp servers, and you will be able to use the service even with the mobile turned off. Of course, not permanently, and you will have to connect it from time to time.