WhatsApp just made a big change that ll make it worth using in Windows 11 TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. WhatsApp just made a big change that ll make it worth using in Windows 11 By Darren Allan published 17 August 2022 New Windows app is slicker and works standalone from your phone (Image credit: WhatsApp) Audio player loading… WhatsApp has released a new version of its Windows app which no longer requires to be hooked up to your smartphone, and can work completely standalone. Previously, the WhatsApp client for Windows 11 (and 10) was a web-based (Electron) effort, but the new app – which has just moved from beta to its full release, as The Verge (opens in new tab) reports – is a native client, and what's more, it works independently of your smartphone. In other words, even if your phone is offline, you'll receive messages in the desktop WhatsApp client under Windows. As native messaging software, expect WhatsApp to run much more smoothly on Windows, and also the interface has been tweaked to look a bit smarter and more streamlined. You can get the overhauled app from the Microsoft Store (opens in new tab), although note that not everyone appears to have access to the fresh version just yet, and it looks like the new app is being gradually rolled out in stages by WhatsApp. So if you're still seeing the old version in the store, be patient and hang on a while longer; the new client is coming, rest assured. Analysis A major step forward for Windows &ndash and soon for Mac too It's good to see WhatsApp making progress with its desktop offerings, and that ability to still receive messages – and indeed fire up the likes of video chats – without having your smartphone connected is a big boon. Even if the app is closed, with it being native software you'll still get notifications piped through, so you won't miss anything. The feedback we've seen thus far online is that the new Windows client is smartly responsive and decently faster than the app it replaces, so it all sounds like a sizeable stride forward for WhatsApp on desktop. We're also seeing development on the Mac front, too, as WhatsApp has a native app inbound for macOS. However, that's still a work in progress, although Mac owners can get on board with the beta if they wish. Meantime, they're left with a desktop app which is still web-based (and of course the alternative possibility of just using WhatsApp in their browser).Today's best Laptops deals (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$556.19 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$849.76 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$1,099.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)Show More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Darren Allan Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013). See more Software news TechRadar Newsletter Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. MOST POPULARMOST SHARED1PC gamers are shunning high-end GPUs – spelling trouble for the Nvidia RTX 40902Canceled by Netflix: it's the end of the road for Firefly Lane3It looks like Fallout's spiritual successor is getting a PS5 remaster4Beg all you want - these beer game devs will not break the laws of physics for you 5Micro-LED 4K TVs aren't trying to kill OLED, they're aiming at projectors1We finally know what 'Wi-Fi' stands for - and it's not what you think2Brave is about to solve one of the most frustrating problems with browsing the web3A whole new breed of SSDs is about to break through4Logitech's latest webcam and headset want to relieve your work day frustrations5HP Spectre x360 (2022) review Technology Magazines (opens in new tab)● (opens in new tab)The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviewsFrom$12.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab) Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions:NederlandBelgië (Nederlands)