If you use WhatsApp on macOS, you may find that you have to redownload the app on your device very soon, as while the older WhatsApp app remains available, Meta (WhatsApp’s parent company) has confirmed that this version is due to be discontinued.
The older version of WhatsApp is built on an Electron framework, an open-source software that allows you to adapt a web app into a desktop app. According to 9to5Mac, Meta has rebuilt the Whatsapp app from scratch, which means that if you want to continue using the WhatsApp app on your desktop, you’ll have to install the new version.
9to5Mac quotes WABetaInfo, who continued running the older WhatsApp app on a Mac and was notified that the app wouldn’t be available in 54 days (at the time of writing). When this happens, Meta says users will have to download the newly rebuilt desktop app from the official WhatsApp website or from the App Store for Mac.
The new Catalyst-powered WhatsApp app
The new WhatsApp Mac desktop app is built using Catalyst, Apple’s software framework that enables developers to make iOS (its mobile operating system for iPhones) apps work natively on macOS devices. 9to5Mac writes that downloading and installing the new app will preserve all of your existing chats and contacts.
The new WhatsApp for macOS, built with Catalyst, leverages the iPhone app as a foundation to run natively and reportedly offers better performance than the Electron-based web app. While the web version is convenient, it lacks many features, making the native macOS app a superior option for Mac users.
9to5Mac does point out that the older WhatsApp app for Mac is still being used by some people, possibly due to the newer app seemingly arriving without some important features. However, it does reassure readers that most of the older app’s features have been carried over to the newer app.
You can get WhatsApp for Mac for free from the Mac App Store or the official WhatsApp website, and you’ll need to make sure your device is running macOS 11 or later.
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