For a while now, WhatsApp has offered a desktop software for Windows and Mac. It offers the same capabilities as its web-based equivalent, but is built on the resource-intensive Electron framework and uses more RAM. WhatsApp has now made available a UWP (Universal Windows Platform) version of its desktop software in beta for Windows 10 and 11 users in an effort to enhance the native desktop experience.
Install WhatsApp Beta UWP Desktop App on Windows 10 and 11
ByAggiornamenti Lumia, the new WhatsApp beta UWP app was discovered. You can use this UWP app on Windows 10 and Windows 11 because it is a UWP application. You can run the software, according to the Microsoft listing, on Windows 10 versions 18362.0 or higher.
Additionally, you may use the new WhatsApp beta UWP without keeping your phone connected to the internet because it supports multiple devices. Now that that is out of the way, let’s walk through the process of installing WhatsApp’s UWP desktop beta client on Windows.
Download WhatsApp Beta App from Microsoft Store
1. Go to the WhatsApp Beta listing in the Microsoft Store (credit: WindowsBlogItalia for the link) and click the blue Get button that is displayed in the top right corner of the screen.
2. Windows will now direct you to the Microsoft Store automatically. To install the WhatsApp Beta UWP software on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, click the Get button in the Microsoft Store once more. Follow our simple step-by-step instructions to install the Windows 11 Microsoft Store on your Windows 10 PC if it doesn’t already have it.
3. On WhatsApp Beta’s main page, you will notice a Get Started button once it has been downloaded. To log in with your WhatsApp account, click it.
4. After enrolling in the multi-device beta, you must now scan the QR code with your smartphone.
To find out how to access the Linked devices screen, move on to the next step.
5. On your Android phone, open the WhatsApp app and select Linked devices by tapping the vertical three-dot icon. To reach the Linked devices option on your iPhone, navigate to the Settings tab from the bottom navigation bar.
WhatsApp Desktop UWP vs WhatsApp Desktop Electron: Initial Impressions
6. Next, if the option is available, select Join multi-device beta and click Link a device to scan the QR code displayed in the WhatsApp beta UWP desktop software on your Windows PC. The end of that. Your login to the WhatsApp UWP desktop app has been successful.
It’s safe to conclude that the WhatsApp desktop UWP app is a substantial improvement in terms of performance and dependability based on my little usage. It opens more quickly and features the contemporary acrylic visual effects that Windows 11 introduced.
New Features in WhatsApp UWP Desktop App
I checked in with the same account on WhatsApp desktop (Electron) and the UWP Beta to evaluate the performance. The new UWP app uses substantially less RAM while displaying the same list of discussions, as you can see in the screenshots below.
A useful drawing tool is one of the new features WhatsApp has added to the desktop client. You can use the ability to easily create and send written notes without leaving WhatsApp by selecting the attachment icon. The receiver will receive the sketch as an image file after you click Send. View the function in use below:
Receiving WhatsApp message notifications without needing to have the app open all the time is another appealing feature of the beta UWP desktop app. This is a useful update that will allow users to stay up to date on all new communications even when using other apps. The notification preview even lets you see how many unread messages there are.
You may now choose to have WhatsApp start up in the background when you log in to your Windows 10 or 11 PC thanks to the addition of a startup entry option. By selecting the Settings icon and turning on the Start WhatsApp at login toggle under General settings, you can launch WhatsApp alongside your computer.
For a brief walkthrough of the new WhatsApp desktop beta UI for Windows, see the video down below:
Try WhatsApp Beta App Based on UWP on Your Windows PC
Despite all of that, it does not yet have all the functionality. In the current beta release, you cannot send voice messages, utilise stickers, or check your WhatsApp status. It doesn’t support dark mode either. Since this is the first beta version, we might anticipate WhatsApp to port all functionality from WhatsApp Desktop Electron before releasing the UWP app in the stable channel.