WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the handy features of WhatsApp is that it offers a desktop app that mirrors conversations and messages from your phone. This allows users to seamlessly continue chats on a bigger screen. A common question that arises is whether the WhatsApp desktop app can run in the background on your computer or if it needs to remain open.
TL;DR
Yes, WhatsApp desktop for Windows and Mac can run in the background and will continue receiving messages even if the window is minimized or hidden. However, there are some limitations:
- On Windows, it only runs in the background if enabled in Settings
- On Mac, it stops running after about 16 inactive hours
- Desktop apps still rely on phone connection for syncing messages
- Background behavior may be impacted by computer performance and resources
How WhatsApp Desktop Apps Work
To understand the background behavior of WhatsApp desktop apps, it’s important to know how they work under the hood. The WhatsApp desktop applications are simply clients that mirror the WhatsApp account on your mobile device. This means:
- Your mobile device must have an active internet connection
- Your phone must remain turned on
- Your phone and desktop app must remain connected
The desktop apps do not have independent accounts or persistent messaging capability outside of your phone connection. So whether foregrounded or backgrounded, the desktop apps rely on your mobile device to send and receive WhatsApp messages and sync conversation data.
Windows App Background Behavior
On Windows, the WhatsApp desktop app can run in the background and continue receiving messages, even if you minimize the window to the system tray or switch to another application. However, this behavior must be enabled in the app settings:
- Open WhatsApp desktop settings
- Go to General > Show WhatsApp when minimized
- Toggle on “Allow background app refresh”
With background refresh enabled, your desktop app will show a visual notification when new WhatsApp messages arrive, even if the window is hidden. You can then click the notification to open WhatsApp and view the new messages.
Limitations
There are some limitations to be aware of with the Windows app background behavior:
- Performance depends on computer resources. Background processing may be intermittent on slow or overloaded PCs.
- Closing the app fully will disconnect it from your phone. You’ll need to manually re-link the app.
- Long idle times or computer sleep may disconnect the app.
- You still need an active internet connection and powered-on phone for syncing.
Mac App Background Behavior
The WhatsApp desktop app for Mac also continues running in the background when minimized or hidden. New messages will show dot notification badges on the dock icon when received:
You can click the dock icon to open the window and view new messages. So you don’t need to keep the app window open to receive WhatsApp messages on your Mac.
Limitations
However, there are some limitations on Mac compared to Windows:
- There is no setting to keep the app permanently running. It will automatically suspend after about 16 inactive hours.
- No background notifications if you fully quit the app.
- Performance and stability varies. May be impacted by Mac performance.
- Still requires phone connection and internet access.
So while you don’t need the Mac app open at all times, it will stop syncing messages if left inactive too long or fully closed.
Impact of Computer Performance
It’s important to note that the stability and performance of WhatsApp desktop in the background depends significantly on the capabilities and resources of your computer.
Running WhatsApp desktop in the background essentially keeps the app open indefinitely to maintain sync with your phone. This requires a persistent internet connection plus CPU and memory resources for background app processing.
If you are on an old or underpowered computer with limited RAM and lots of background apps, the WhatsApp desktop app may struggle to keep running smoothly when minimized. You may experience things like:
- Intermittent message syncing delays
- App crashes or hangs
- Desktop notifications freezing up
- Connection losses requiring re-link to phone
So while the WhatsApp desktop apps are designed to keep working in the background, real-world performance will depend on having adequate computer resources for smooth background processing.
Tips for Improving Background Performance
Here are some tips that may help if you’re experiencing performance issues with WhatsApp desktop background behavior:
- Close unused apps and browser tabs – Free up RAM and CPU by closing resource-heavy programs not in use.
- Disable startup apps – Boot with fewer background processes loaded on startup.
- Update Windows/Mac OS – Get the latest optimizations and bug fixes.
- Check internet connectivity – Use a stable/fast connection for reliable sync.
- Disable desktop notifications – Reduce system resources used by notification features.
- Use a newer computer – A faster multi-core CPU and more RAM helps significantly.
Also, make sure your phone has a strong internet signal for minimal sync disruptions to the desktop app.
Comparison of Background Capabilities
To summarize and compare the background capabilities of WhatsApp desktop apps:
| Windows | Mac | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in background when minimized | Yes (when enabled) | Yes |
| Background notifications | Yes | Yes (when active) |
| App suspension after inactivity | No | After ~16 hours |
| Requires phone connection | Yes | Yes |
So in summary, both WhatsApp desktop apps can run in the background but may be subject to performance constraints. The Windows app gives you more control to keep it persistently syncing, while the Mac app will automatically suspend after a period of inactivity.
Conclusion
To conclude, WhatsApp’s desktop apps for Windows and Mac do have the capability to run in the background when minimized, allowing you to continue receiving messages when hidden. However, background performance is dependent on computer resources and maintaining a stable connection to your phone.
Leaving the desktop apps running in the background indefinitely is not generally recommended, especially on older computers. Periodically closing and re-opening the apps can help maintain stability. But with a decent modern computer and good connectivity, background messaging capabilities provide helpful flexibility to keep chatting on the desktop without needing the window open at all times.