WhatsApp Web allows users to access their WhatsApp account through a web browser on their computer. While WhatsApp Web provides most of the functionality of the mobile app, one feature that is missing is the ability to get notifications when you receive new messages.
How WhatsApp Web Works
WhatsApp Web works by mirroring the WhatsApp app on your smartphone. To use WhatsApp Web, you need to scan a QR code using the WhatsApp mobile app, which pairs your account with the computer browser session. This links your phone and computer so that they show the same messages and conversations, but operate independently.
This means when you get a new WhatsApp message on your phone, it does not automatically show up as a notification on your computer as well. You need to manually refresh WhatsApp Web to see new messages.
Why WhatsApp Web Doesn’t Have Notifications
There are a few reasons why WhatsApp Web does not have a built-in notification system:
- Battery usage – Push notifications can drain battery life on mobile devices, so WhatsApp limits them.
- Platform restrictions – Browsers have limited options for push notifications due to privacy and security concerns.
- User experience – Notifications could become annoying if you get a lot of WhatsApp messages.
- Development priorities – WhatsApp has focused more on improving the mobile experience first.
Since your phone needs to be on and connected for WhatsApp Web to work, the app developers likely decided that additional notifications were unnecessary and could impact performance and user satisfaction in some cases.
Options for Getting Notifications on WhatsApp Web
While WhatsApp Web doesn’t have built-in notifications, there are a few workarounds you can use to get notifications of new messages on your computer:
Browser Notifications
Some web browsers have options to send notifications when you get new tabs opened in the background or when specific sites update. You may be able to set your browser to notify you when the WhatsApp Web page updates.
For example, in Chrome you can click the lock icon > Site Settings > Notifications and enable them for web.whatsapp.com. Other browsers like Firefox and Edge have similar notification settings.
Third-Party Apps
There are third-party apps and browser extensions that can forward notifications from your phone to your computer desktop. Some examples include:
- WamR for Windows – Forwards WhatsApp notifications to Windows 10.
- Notifier for Chrome – Browser extension that displays phone notifications.
- Pushbullet – App that mirrors phone notifications on PC and Mac.
These apps may offer more customization for which notifications forward and how they display on your computer.
Phone Mirroring Software
If you use remote mirroring software that displays your phone’s screen on your computer, like scrcpy, you can see WhatsApp notifications pop up in real-time as well.
The advantage of phone mirroring over browser extensions is that you can view and interact with the actual WhatsApp app, instead of just getting notified.
Should You Get WhatsApp Web Notifications?
Whether you want to use a notification workaround ultimately depends on your personal preferences:
- Notifications can be helpful if you rely on WhatsApp for business or to stay in touch with important contacts.
- They may become distracting if you aren’t expecting an urgent message.
- You’ll need to manage notifications across multiple devices instead of just your phone.
- Extra software may affect computer performance or battery life.
Evaluate whether the convenience of getting notifications is worth any potential drawbacks based on how you use WhatsApp Web. Passive browser notifications may be the best minimal option if you just want to know when new messages arrive.
WhatsApp Web Limitations
Beyond the lack of notifications, WhatsApp Web has a few other limitations to be aware of:
- You can only be logged into one browser tab at a time. Opening WhatsApp Web in multiple tabs will disconnect the other sessions.
- File transfer is limited and some features like document sharing are unavailable.
- You cannot make or receive WhatsApp calls from WhatsApp Web.
- Encryption keys are stored on your phone, not locally on your computer.
WhatsApp Web is designed as a companion to the mobile app, not a full replacement. So keep in mind it does not have 100% feature parity.
Conclusion
While WhatsApp Web does not directly provide notifications for new messages, you have a few different options to enable alerts on your computer including:
- Browser notifications
- Third-party apps and extensions
- Phone mirroring software
Enabling notifications can be convenient if you rely on WhatsApp communications through the day. But extra notifications may become annoying, so consider if they align with how you specifically use WhatsApp Web.