New Delhi: The popular mobile messaging application WhatsApp, is now available for the Web via Google Chrome.
To access the WhatsApp Web client, open https://web.whatsapp.com on your desktop in Google Chrome. Once the WhatsApp Web page finishes loading, a QR code will appear. Now align the QR code with your phone's camera and, you'll see your recent WhatsApp conversations inside Chrome on the desktop.
To stay connected with Whatsapp Web client, make sure that your smartphone is connected to the Internet throughout, either via Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Each time the QR code generated by the WhatsApp is unique, and by scanning it with your phone, you are associating the current WhatsApp Web session with that of your smartphone. The captured QR code by the phone transmits the session ID and other associated information to WhatsApp servers, thus pairing your phone and the WhatsApp Web session.
For now, the app works only on Chrome with the Android mobile app. Also, it is not available for the iOS users due to Apple platform limitations.
On the desktop you can join existing conversations (including groups) or initiate new ones. Through web client you can share pictures (already saved or clicking fresh ones) as well as voice messages without touching your phone. Features like delivery and read receipts are supported.
You can start WhatsApp Web sessions from multiple computers, but only one can be active at a time.
Interestingly, the idea of using a QR code to seamlessly add on a desktop feature is not new as WeChat has been using a similar login process.
WhatsApp, which has 500 million users worldwide, was acquired by Facebook in February 2014 for $19 billion (£11bn).
