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How do I make WhatsApp start automatically on my computer?

WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging platforms in the world, with over 2 billion users. The ability to use WhatsApp on your computer as well as your phone is a hugely convenient feature for many users. However, having to manually open the WhatsApp desktop application each time you start your computer can be annoying. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to get WhatsApp to launch automatically when you start your PC.

Set WhatsApp as a Startup Application in Windows

The easiest way to get WhatsApp to open automatically on a Windows PC is to add it to your Startup folder. Here are the steps:

  1. Open the Start menu and type “startup” to search for the Startup folder.
  2. Open the Startup folder (it should be under the Windows System folder).
  3. Find the WhatsApp desktop shortcut, right click on it, and select “Copy”.
  4. Go back to the Startup folder, right click, and select “Paste shortcut” to add the copied WhatsApp shortcut to the folder.

Now, whenever your Windows PC starts up, WhatsApp will automatically launch and run in the background. You can access it quickly from the system tray icon.

Use Task Scheduler in Windows

Another option on Windows is to create a scheduled task using Task Scheduler that will launch WhatsApp for you:

  1. Open Task Scheduler (search for it on Start)
  2. Click “Create Task” on the right side
  3. Give the task a name like “Launch WhatsApp”
  4. Under “Triggers” click “At startup” to have it run on bootup
  5. Under “Actions”, click “New” and then “Start a program”
  6. Browse to and select the WhatsApp desktop executable file
  7. Click “OK” to save the task

This will now launch WhatsApp automatically in the background whenever you startup your computer.

Use Automator on Mac

On a Mac, you can use Automator to create a startup workflow for launching WhatsApp:

  1. Open Automator (search for it via Spotlight or in Applications)
  2. Choose “Application” as the type of document
  3. Search for and add the “Launch Application” action to the workflow
  4. Click “Choose” and browse to select the WhatsApp app
  5. Click the File menu and select “Save”
  6. Give it a name like “Launch WhatsApp”
  7. Click “Save” to save the workflow as an app

Now whenever you boot your Mac, you can set this app to automatically run and launch WhatsApp for you.

Add WhatsApp to Login Items on Mac

A simpler option on Mac is to just add WhatsApp to your Login Items list:

  1. Open System Preferences > Users & Groups
  2. Select the user account you want to add WhatsApp to
  3. Click the Login Items tab
  4. Click the + button below the list
  5. Browse to and select the WhatsApp app
  6. Click “Add”

Now WhatsApp will automatically launch each time this user logs into the Mac.

Use rc.local on Linux

On a Linux system, you can add a command to launch WhatsApp to the rc.local startup script file. Here’s how:

  1. Open a terminal window
  2. Edit the rc.local file with sudo privileges – sudo nano /etc/rc.local
  3. Add the command to launch WhatsApp before the “exit 0” line, for example: /usr/bin/whatapp
  4. Save and close the file

Now WhatsApp should automatically start up next time you boot your Linux computer.

Use Cron Job on Linux

Another option on Linux is to create a Cron job that will run on startup to launch WhatsApp for you:

  1. Open a terminal and type crontab -e to edit your cron jobs
  2. Add a new line with: @reboot /usr/bin/whatapp
  3. Save and close the crontab file

This will schedule the WhatsApp launch command to run at each reboot via Cron.

Conclusion

Having WhatsApp automatically start up each time you turn on your computer can save you time and make the app more conveniently accessible. The above methods provide simple ways to achieve this on Windows, Mac, and Linux machines.

The easiest options are generally to add WhatsApp to your Startup or Login Items folder in Windows and Mac. For Linux, you can easily add a launch command to your rc.local or crontab file.

Automating the launch ensures you’ll never forget to open WhatsApp again when starting your workday! With just a few clicks you can enable this time-saving convenience.

Here is a summary of the methods covered:

Platform Method
Windows Add WhatsApp shortcut to Startup folder
Windows Create scheduled task with Task Scheduler
Mac Create startup workflow in Automator
Mac Add WhatsApp to Login Items
Linux Add WhatsApp launch command to rc.local
Linux Create Cron job to launch on reboot

So in just a few minutes you can set up automatic WhatsApp launching on your desktop OS. This ensures the app is always available for quick access as soon as you power on your computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does WhatsApp have an option to open automatically?

Unfortunately, WhatsApp itself does not have a built-in option to automatically launch when your computer starts. You need to use the operating system’s functionality, like Startup folders or Login Items, to achieve this.

Will WhatsApp launch visibly or in the background?

Most of these methods will launch WhatsApp minimized to the system tray or dock on startup. It runs silently in the background until you click to open the window. This prevents it from interrupting your normal workflow.

Can I undo auto-launch if I change my mind?

Yes, you can easily disable auto-launch by reversing whichever method you used: delete the Startup shortcut, disable the scheduled task, remove WhatsApp from Login Items, etc. The process is quick to toggle on or off.

Does auto-launching WhatsApp impact performance?

Generally no, having WhatsApp automatically open in the background uses minimal system resources. Unless your computer is already slow, you likely won’t notice any performance hit from a single app like WhatsApp launching on startup.

Will these methods work for the WhatsApp mobile app?

No, these instructions are specifically for the desktop version of WhatsApp that runs on your computer. The WhatsApp mobile apps for iPhone and Android do not have auto-launch options since they are bound to the mobile operating system.

Additional Tips for Convenience

Pin WhatsApp to your taskbar or dock

For even easier access to WhatsApp after it launches, pin the WhatsApp icon to your Windows taskbar or Mac dock. This gives you one-click access from any screen.

Use keyboard shortcuts

Set up a convenient keyboard shortcut to open WhatsApp after it starts up in the background. For example CTRL/Command + Shift + W.

Group similar startup apps together

If you auto-launch multiple chat apps like WhatsApp, Skype, Slack, etc. try grouping their icons together in your taskbar or dock for quick access to all messaging tools.

Check WhatsApp Web settings

Make sure WhatsApp Web settings are enabled if you rely on linked devices. This allows seamless messaging from your phone when your computer launches WhatsApp.

Troubleshooting Issues

WhatsApp does not launch on startup

  • Double check you followed the steps exactly for your OS – small mistakes in the filename or path can prevent launch
  • Certain security or firewall software may block auto-launching apps – try adding an exception for WhatsApp
  • Your antivirus may need to exclude the WhatsApp folder from real-time scanning for stable performance
  • Make sure WhatsApp is not disabled under Task Manager’s Startup tab in Windows

WhatsApp launches but then crashes

  • Disable any overlays or third party tools that may conflict with WhatsApp like chat apps or system monitoring widgets
  • Check for updated graphics drivers, especially if on older hardware – graphics errors can cause crashes
  • Disable the auto-launch method and instead launch WhatsApp manually after start up completes to isolate the issue

WhatsApp starts up minimized and won’t restore

  • Reset the window size under WhatsApp > Settings > Chat Window Settings
  • Disable any snap assist or window organization add-ons that may interfere
  • Update your display driver and check display scaling settings if icons are oddly resized

Conclusion

Automatically launching WhatsApp on computer startup is a great productivity boost. By adding the app to your system’s login items or scheduling it to run on bootup, you can remove the friction of manually opening it each workday.

Troubleshoot any issues with conflicting software, drivers, or configurations. But when setup properly, an auto-starting WhatsApp provides convenient and seamless access to messaging as soon as your computer is turned on.