WhatsApp didn’t have a true desktop version until recently – both the Windows and Mac apps just wrap the web version in an Electron shell. That changed last year when Windows got a native version and a native version of macOS went into beta. Initially, it was a closed beta available only to TestFlight participants, but now everyone (with a Mac) can get it.
You can download it from the official website, it is available for macOS Big Sur and newer. The website warns that the release is still in the early stages of development.
for macOS Native WhatsApp enters public beta
Interestingly, the WhatsApp team uses Apple’s Mac The Catalyst framework, which makes it easier for developers to build apps that run on iPadOS and macOS. This is curious because there is no WhatsApp version for iPad (users should use the web version instead). This may change once this app comes out of beta.
Native apps should run faster and be more efficient on Mac hardware anyway (as do Windows versions), so it would be nice to see the old Electron versions go away.
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