WhatsApp 2.2636.100.0 for Windows

WhatsApp 2.2636.100.0 for Windows is the desktop app of the instant messenger owned by Meta Platforms, and you can download it free from WhatsApp's official site or the Microsoft Store. It connects to the account on your phone, so your chats, groups and contacts appear on the PC without creating anything new.

Overview

WhatsApp started in 2009 as a mobile messenger and remains phone-first: your account is tied to a phone number, and the desktop app works as a companion to it. That design has one big advantage. You do not need a separate login or password for the computer; you just scan a code with the phone and the PC is linked. From then on, typing long replies, sending documents from your downloads folder or dropping in a screenshot is much quicker than on a small screen. Voice and video calls work from the desktop as well, which helps when you want to talk while looking at something on your monitor. For people who use WhatsApp for work, with clients or colleagues, the Windows app turns it into a proper desktop tool instead of a phone you keep picking up.

Version information

The mobile apps use a different numbering, so do not be surprised if the version on your phone looks unrelated.

Installing WhatsApp on Windows

1. Go to the official WhatsApp download page or search for WhatsApp in the Microsoft Store.
2. Install the app and open it.
3. On your phone, open WhatsApp, go to Linked devices and tap Link a device.
4. Scan the code shown on the PC screen; your chats will load within a moment.

Requirements

You need an active WhatsApp account on a phone and a supported, current version of Windows; the Store checks compatibility before installing. The phone does not have to stay next to the computer once the device is linked.

Safety and privacy

Download only from whatsapp.com or the Microsoft Store. Modified clients and "WhatsApp for PC" installers from other sites can steal your session. On a shared computer, lock the app or log out after use, and check the list of linked devices on your phone from time to time, removing any you do not recognise.

Price

WhatsApp is free to download and use; messages and calls go over your internet connection.

Pros and cons

• Pro: no separate account, linking takes seconds.
• Pro: comfortable typing and file sharing on a PC.
• Con: requires a phone number and a WhatsApp account on the phone.
• Con: some features arrive on mobile first.

Alternatives

Telegram, Signal and Viber are messengers with Windows apps in the same category. For group voice chat, Discord is another choice.