# GÓC CÔNG NGHỆ > Hệ điều hành > Mac OS - English Room >  WhatsApp Desktop Client for Windows & Mac Is Only Second Best

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With over a billion monthly active users, WhatsApp is one of the fastest growing social networks you should join. And here’s one more reason. After years of its users pleading for this feature, the company has finally released official WhatsApp desktop apps for Windows and Mac.

While it’s a welcome feature, you should know that WhatsApp Desktop is quite similar to WhatsApp Web for browsers, except for two major differences: keyboard shortcuts and desktop notifications. Apart from that, you won’t notice a difference. In fact, some third-party developers already make better desktop programs for WhatsApp.

That said, this is the official app and it might offer exclusive features one day.

*What You Need to Know*


Getting started with WhatsApp Desktop is pretty simple. It is the same connection process as in WhatsApp Web or any other WhatsApp client you use.

To use WhatsApp Desktop, download the application to your hard drive, install, and run it.The window will show a QR code.Start WhatsApp on your smartphone.Tap *Menu* (three-dot icon) > *WhatsApp Web* > *+* (the plus icon in the top right)Scan the QR code on your computer screen by pointing your phone’s camera to it.WhatsApp will sync your phone and your computer.
It’s really that simple. But note that this isn’t a standalone client. All WhatsApp desktop clients *require your smartphone to be switched on, have an active Internet connection, and have sufficient battery*. If any of those conditions aren’t met, WhatsApp Desktop will stop working.



WhatsApp Desktop also has limited functions compared to the smartphone app. For example, you can’t use your computer’s camera to take a photo or a video. And you also can’t send contacts or maps and locations.

But hey, you get a full physical keyboard to type on, the ability to check your messages without taking your phone out of your pocket, pure desktop notifications, and even keyboard shortcuts, apart from universal shortcuts for text editing. Speaking of which, here are the WhatsApp Desktop keyboard shortcuts:

*CTRL + E:* Archive chat*CTRL + SHIFT + M:* Mute Chat*CTRL + SHIFT + U:* Mark as Unread*CTRL + Backspace:* Delete chat*CTRL + F:* Search chat*CTRL + N:* Start new chat*CTRL + SHIFT + N:* Start new group chat
The above shortcuts work on Windows. If you’re on a Mac, replace CTRL with Command.

*Download:* WhatsApp Desktop for Windows 8, 8.1, and 10 (Free) and for Mac OS X 10.9+ (Free)

Hold on, there’s a catch! WhatsApp Desktop works only on 64-bit desktop versions of Windows. Plus, it doesn’t support Linux. Face it, you can get other apps with better features, so have a look at those too…

*Fantastic Cross-Platform Client with More Features*



Whatsie is an incredible WhatsApp client. We’ve already said it’s better than the official app, and here’s why:

It’s completely free.It supports Windows, Mac, and Linux, on 32-bit systems as well as 64-bit.It has a built-in spellcheck and auto-correct to underline misspelled words or correct the more commonly misspelled ones.It can be launched on startup.It supports desktop notifications (with quick reply option on Macs) and keyboard shortcuts.It has several themes to change the look of WhatsApp.
In short, Whatsie does everything WhatsApp Desktop does, and offers more features on top of that. Right now, if you are thinking of downloading WhatsApp Desktop, I would recommend downloading Whatsie instead.

*Download:* Whatsie for Windows, for Mac, for Linux DEB, and for Linux RPM (_Visit the_ _Whatsie download page for 64-bit and portable versions.)_

*The Best WhatsApp Mac Client*



While I love Whatsie, if you’re on a Mac, BetterChat is, well, better. It’s a paid app, so it’s not for everyone, but if you want the absolute best, you need to be ready to pony up a couple of bucks. To be fair, you do get a lot in return! Apart from everything Whatsie offers, here are the extras:

BetterChat supports your Mac’s camera to record photos or short clips. It also includes built-in filters!A *Do Not Disturb* button to mute all notifications when you need to avoid distractions.A global hotkey to hide/focus the app, as well as an icon in the Mac Menubar to do the same.Icon badge for unread messages.Customizable notifications, themes, and app settings.
I really wish BetterChat was available for Windows and Linux because the application is the best WhatsApp client on desktops. Unfortunately, it’s Mac-only, but those two bucks are worth every penny.

*Download:* BetterChat for WhatsApp for Mac OS X ($1.99)

*Run Multiple WhatsApp Accounts Side-By-Side*



All the WhatsApp desktop clients have one thing in common: one WhatsApp account only. If you use multiple smartphones, you can’t have two WhatsApp accounts running side by side. Well, Franz fixes that.

Franz is an all-in-one messenger app that supports WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Slack, Skype, WeChat, and several other services. Much like it’s a great Facebook Messenger client for using multiple accounts simultaneously, the same logic applies here to make it a great WhatsApp client.

Plus, even if you are running a single instance of WhatsApp, Franz can still be useful. After all, it’d be better to have this than a wide range of desktop clients for all the different chat and instant messengers you use.

*Download:* Franz for 32-bit Windows, for 64-bit Windows, for Mac OS X, for 32-bit Linux, and for 64-bit Linux

*Why You Should Still Get WhatsApp Desktop*


Despite these third-party programs being better than the client WhatsApp just released, there is a case to be made for using the official WhatsApp Desktop.



Historically, most services release new features only on their official clients and third-party developers have to work a little harder to catch up. WhatsApp is rumored to be introducing video chat soon, and such a feature would probably be available only on the official app.

In the past too, WhatsApp has a history of blocking those who use third-party apps. It had suspended users of WhatsApp Plus for 24 hours, and even had other such apps removed from the Play Store and App Store.

*WhatsApp Desktop or Something Else?*


*With all this information, are you going to use WhatsApp Desktop or are you thinking of getting one of the third-party apps noted above? If yes, which one? Heck, are you happy with WhatsApp Web itself?*

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