WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows you to send messages, make voice and video calls, share photos, documents and more – all for free. WhatsApp is available for smartphones as well as PCs. However, to use WhatsApp on your computer, you need to either use WhatsApp Web which mirrors your phone’s app or install WhatsApp on PC using an Android emulator like BlueStacks.
While WhatsApp Web and BlueStacks provide easy ways to access WhatsApp on PC, both these methods have their limitations. WhatsApp Web requires your phone to be connected to the internet and mirrors everything from your phone. So if your phone’s battery dies or internet connection drops, you won’t be able to use WhatsApp Web. BlueStacks, on the other hand, tends to be slow, consumes a lot of PC resources and doesn’t offer full functionality. So is there a way to use WhatsApp natively on your PC without WhatsApp Web or BlueStacks?
Using WhatsApp on PC with an Android Emulator
One of the most popular ways to run WhatsApp on a PC is by using an Android emulator. An Android emulator essentially mimics an Android environment on your computer so you can install and run Android apps. Here are some of the top Android emulators that allow you to use WhatsApp on PC:
BlueStacks
BlueStacks is perhaps the most well-known Android emulator for PCs. To use WhatsApp on BlueStacks:
- Download and install BlueStacks on your computer
- Open BlueStacks and sign in with your Google account
- Search for WhatsApp in the search bar within BlueStacks
- Install WhatsApp and sign in with your phone number
BlueStacks lets you transfer your chats from your phone to PC. However, it tends to run slower than other options and uses up a lot of RAM and CPU.
MEmu Play
MEmu Play is a lightweight and fast Android emulator for Windows. Here are the steps to use WhatsApp on MEmu Play:
- Download and install MEmu Play
- Open MEmu Play and sign in to your Google account
- Search for WhatsApp in the MEmu Play store and install it
- Sign in to WhatsApp using your phone number
MEmu Play provides great performance and lets you easily transfer chats between devices. But it lacks some advanced customization options.
NoxPlayer
NoxPlayer is an Android emulator built for gamers but also works well for apps like WhatsApp. Follow these steps:
- Get NoxPlayer from the official website and install it
- Open NoxPlayer and log in with your Google account
- Search for WhatsApp and install it from the built-in app store
- Enter your phone number to sign in to WhatsApp
NoxPlayer provides good performance and customization options for power users. But it has occasional stability issues.
LDPlayer
LDPlayer is another Android emulator for PC gamers. Here’s how to get WhatsApp on it:
- Download and install LDPlayer on your computer
- Launch LDPlayer and sign in with your Google account
- Open the LD Store within the emulator to search and install WhatsApp
- Open WhatsApp and enter your phone number to sign in
LDPlayer offers great performance and flexibility. But it lacks some convenience features for non-gamers.
The main downside of using an Android emulator is that it consumes a lot of RAM and CPU resources. They also don’t offer full functionality compared to WhatsApp on your phone.
Using Remote Desktop Software
Another option to access WhatsApp on your PC is using remote desktop software. This allows you to remotely control your Android phone or tablet from your computer. Here are some popular remote desktop apps for using WhatsApp on PC:
TeamViewer
TeamViewer is a popular remote access and support software. To use it for WhatsApp:
- Install TeamViewer on both your computer and Android device
- Open TeamViewer on both devices and connect them
- On your PC, remotely control your Android device and open WhatsApp
TeamViewer provides fast remote access and works across platforms. But it lacks some convenience features when using Android apps.
Scrcpy
Scrcpy is an open source screen mirroring app for Android. To use WhatsApp with it:
- Install Scrcpy on your PC
- Enable USB debugging on your Android device
- Connect your Android device to the PC via USB
- Run Scrcpy to mirror your device screen and control it
- Open WhatsApp on your device from your PC
Scrcpy delivers super-fast performance without latency. But it requires a wired USB connection and advanced technical setup.
Vysor
Vysor allows wireless remote access to Android devices from a computer. Here are the steps to use it with WhatsApp:
- Get the Vysor app on your Android device
- Install the Vysor Chrome extension on your PC
- Connect your Android device and PC on the same WiFi network
- Open the Vysor Chrome extension to view and control your device
- Launch WhatsApp on your device remotely from your computer
Vysor provides seamless wireless remote control over Android. But there can be slight lags in video streaming.
Apache Guacamole
Guacamole is an open-source remote desktop gateway. To use it with WhatsApp:
- Install Guacamole server on your PC
- Get a Guacamole client like GuacDroid on your Android device
- Connect both devices to the same WiFi network
- Use the client to remotely view and control your Android device
- Launch WhatsApp by controlling your device from the computer
Guacamole is secure, customizable and offers high performance. But it requires technical expertise to set up.
The main limitations of remote desktop apps are latency issues, smaller display, and lack of keyboard support for Android apps.
Using Unofficial WhatsApp Clients for PC
There are some unofficial WhatsApp clients developed by third parties that you can use to access WhatsApp on your PC:
WhatsApp Plus
WhatsApp Plus is an unofficial modded version of WhatsApp for Android. It has added features like hiding online status, scheduling messages, etc. You can use WhatsApp Plus on PC with an emulator like BlueStacks or download the desktop version from their website. However, WhatsApp bans accounts using unauthorized mods so use at your own risk.
WhatsAppforWindows
WhatsAppforWindows is an unofficial desktop client that claims to offer native WhatsApp experience on PC. You can download it from their site. Do note that it is not endorsed by WhatsApp. There are some concerns over privacy and data security when using such third-party apps.
Wassapp
Wassapp is another unofficial desktop client for WhatsApp. It has customizable themes and some additional features compared to WhatsApp Web. But this is also not endorsed by WhatsApp and has security risks.
The main drawback of using such unofficial WhatsApp mods is the risk of getting banned by WhatsApp and potential security vulnerabilities. Use them at your own risk.
Using a Virtual Android Phone on PC
Another workaround to use WhatsApp on PC without an emulator is using a virtual Android phone. Some apps let you create a virtual Android device on your computer that you can access just like a real phone.
AndY
AndY is a virtual machine app that emulates an entire Android OS environment on your PC. To use WhatsApp with it:
- Download and install AndY OS on your computer
- Complete the Android setup process
- Install WhatsApp from the Google Play Store within AndY
- Log in with your phone number
AndY provides a full Android experience. But performance depends on your PC’s hardware capability.
Genymotion
Genymotion is aimed at developers for testing Android apps. You can also use it to run WhatsApp:
- Get Genymotion desktop app on your PC
- Install a virtual Android OS
- Open Google Play Store to download WhatsApp
- Sign in with your number to use WhatsApp
Genymotion is very versatile but complex to set up for regular users.
Jar of Beans
Jar of Beans allows you to run multiple virtual Android devices on one PC. Here are the steps to use WhatsApp:
- Download and install Jar of Beans on your computer
- Set up a new virtual device
- Open Google Play on the virtual device to install WhatsApp
- Log in with your number to use WhatsApp on PC
Jar of Beans is easy to use but requires decent hardware for good performance.
The main limitations of virtual devices are performance issues, complex setup, and lack of syncing across devices.
Conclusion
While WhatsApp provides an official desktop client only through WhatsApp Web, there are many workaround methods you can use to get WhatsApp on your PC without WhatsApp Web or BlueStacks. Each method has its own pros and cons.
Using an Android emulator like BlueStacks is easy to set up but can slow down your PC. Remote desktop apps allow accessing your phone’s WhatsApp but have limitations like small screen and latency issues. Unofficial modded apps like WhatsApp Plus have added features but risk getting banned. Virtual Android solutions like AndY offer full native experience but may struggle performance-wise if your hardware is not up to the mark.
So which is the best way? It really comes down to your specific requirements and use case. If you want convenience above all, an emulator like BlueStacks or MEmu Play might be best suited. If you prefer performance and seamless integration with your phone, try remote desktop apps like Scrcpy or Vysor. For extra features at the cost of some risk, modded clients like WhatsAppforWindows are an option. And if you wish to use WhatsApp extensively on PC, consider a virtual machine like AndY or Genymotion.
At the end of the day, while the official WhatsApp desktop experience still remains limited to WhatsApp Web, there are plenty of reliable methods to get WhatsApp working on your computer. Each has its pros and cons so pick the one that aligns best with your priorities.