Use WhatsApp on your smartphone, a friend told you that you can use the famous instant messaging app even from the Web, on your computer, but you do not have the faintest idea how to do it? Quiet! Once again you can count on me! Poso fact explain to me, step by step, how to use WhatsApp Web. I’m sure that at the end of this guide you will have much clearer ideas about it.

During this tutorial we will in fact analyze all the most important features of WhatsApp Web and discover, together, how to send messages, photos and other multimedia content with this famous app by acting directly from the browser. I can assure you that it is much simpler than what you imagine. Whether you’re a practical “type” in new technology or a “newbie” in the IT landscape makes no difference, I’m more than sure you’ll learn how to use WhatsApp Web in no time.

That said, if you’re really interested in finding out how to use WhatsApp Web from your computer I suggest you take a few minutes of free time, get yourself comfortable and concentrate on reading this guide. Are you ready? Yes? Great, then we ban the chatter and proceed.

As I said, before indicating how to use WhatsApp Web I think it is appropriate to make a general overview of the service by answering some questions that I receive more frequently via email and on my social profiles. Here they are:

• My smartphone is compatible with WhatsApp Web? Almost certainly yes. WhatsApp Web is compatible with all Android terminals, iPhones equipped with iOS 8.1 or higher, Windows Phone 8.0 and 8.1 terminals, BlackBerry and BlackBerry 10 terminals and Nokia animated phones from S60 or S40 EVO.
• Can I use WhatsApp Web with my favorite navigation program? If you use Internet Explorer, no. WhatsApp Web is only compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge. It should also be said that on Safari there are no advanced features like the ability to take photos or record voice messages.
• Can I use WhatsApp Web when my smartphone is off? No, WhatsApp Web works as a sort of “repeater” for the application that is installed on your smartphone. If the phone is not switched on and is not connected to the Internet, it will not work.
• Are smartphones and computers connected to the same Wi-Fi network? No. WhatsApp Web works even if your phone is connected to another network, including 3G / LTE. However, it is recommended to use a Wi-Fi network to avoid erosion of data traffic.
• Need to create a specific account for WhatsApp Web? No. As already mentioned, the service works as a sort of “repeater” of the application installed on the smartphone, so the account configured on the phone is used automatically.
• Do you pay? No. The only costs that may result from the use of WhatsApp Web are those related to the consumption of data traffic (if the smartphone is connected to the Internet via a 3G / LTE network).
• Can I use WhatsApp Web on a tablet? Yes, you can do this with a “trick”. We’ll talk about it in more detail in the last part of the tutorial.

How to access WhatsApp Web

At this point you should finally have pretty clear ideas on how WhatsApp Web works but, perhaps, you still do not know how to access the service. Well, quiet, it’s really a breeze.

All you have to do is open your favorite navigation program on your computer (obviously among those previously mentioned that are compatible with WhatsApp Web) and connect to web.whatsapp.com.

Next, take your smartphone, open WhatsApp, presses the button with the three dots and select the item WhatsApp Web. If you use an iPhone, instead of pressing the button with the three dots (which is not there) you have to select the Settings tab placed at the bottom right and select the WhatsApp Web icon from the screen that opens.

Once done, presses on the OK, I understood that it should have appeared on the phone screen and frames the QR code (ie the black square with the icon of WhatsApp in the middle) on the computer screen. Within a few seconds you should see your messages in the browser.

If you want the service to remember your identity and do not ask you to scan the QR code for subsequent access, check the box next to the item Stay connected before framing the QR code with the smartphone.

Please note that WhatsApp Web supports opening multiple simultaneous sessions. To scan the QR code and log in on a new PC, go to the WhatsApp Web menu of the smartphone application and select the Scan the QR code from the screen that opens.

How to use WhatsApp Web on your computer

Once logged into the service, explaining how to use WhatsApp Web is almost superfluous. Its interface, in fact, almost perfectly matches that of the smartphone application and its functions are virtually identical.

In the left sidebar you can find the conversations in progress (the ones on the smartphone are on the main screen of the app), on the right there is the chat window in which to type the messages; and then there are the various icons. Let’s find out together in detail.

• At the top left there are the icon of the comic, which allows you to create a new conversation, and the icon with the three dots, which instead allows you to create a new group, adjust the settings of profile and status, change the preferences related notifications and disconnect from WhatsApp Web.
• At the top of the chat there are the icon of the paper clip, which allows you to send photos to their interlocutors, and the icon with the three dots, which instead allows you to view information about the contact, archive or delete the conversation.
• At the bottom of the chat there are the smiley face to display the emoticons that can be used in WhatsApp, the arrow to send the message and the camera and microphone icons that allow you to take photos with the PC webcam and record audio messages.
• By clicking on the photo of your profile located at the top left you can change the image or your status.
• By clicking on the arrow next to each conversation in the left sidebar you can archive the chat, delete it or report it as read.

How to use WhatsApp Web on tablets

As mentioned in the initial part of this guide, the one related to frequently asked questions, How to use WhatsApp Web  also on tablets. The trick – if we want to define it – is to activate the desktop mode in the browser used to access the service.

To be precise, all you need to do is open your tablet’s default browser, connect to the web site.whatsapp.com and activate desktop mode.

If you do not know how to activate desktop mode, please note that this is generally a feature included in the browser settings menu. For example, in Google Chrome just press the button with the three dots located at the top right and select the item Request desktop site from the menu that appears, while in Safari just tap the icon depicting an upward arrow placed in the at the top right of the screen you see and select the Request desktop site icon from the menu that opens (you may have to scroll to the left to see the icon that interests you).

At this point, wait for the QR code of How to use WhatsApp Web to appear on the tablet screen, frame it with your smartphone’s camera as I have already shown in the previous lines and you can also access WhatsApp from your tablet.

If you can make things easier, you can also add a quick link to your tablet’s home so you can quickly access WhatsApp Web simply by tapping the service icon. The link will have in all respects the “appearance” of any other app installed on your tablet. The icon, however, will be slightly different from that of the “classic” WhatsApp installed on the phone.

Again, this is a feature that you can generally find in the browser settings menu. For example, in Google Chrome you have to press the button with the three dots located at the top right and select the item Add to home, while in Safari you have to press the icon depicting an upward pointing arrow located in the upper right part of the screen that you see, select the Add to Home icon from the menu that opens (you may have to scroll to the left to see the icon that interests you) and tap the Add item.

Alternatives to WhatsApp Web

Have you finally figured out how to use WhatsApp Web but do you think it’s not for you? Do you prefer the use of much more “traditional” computer programs and “classic” tablet apps? If the answer is affirmative, I have some alternatives that might interest you.

As for computers, instead of How to use WhatsApp Web you may want to go to WhatsApp for computers. This is the official WhatsApp client for Windows PC and Mac.

The operation of the application is good or bad identical to that of How to use WhatsApp Web with the only difference that you need to install the application on your computer to be used and that, consequently, you do not have to constantly open the browser window to chat with the friends. To find out more you can consult my guide on how to use WhatsApp on PC through which I proceeded to give you all the details of the case.

As for the tablet side, you can turn to the use of applications that enable the operation of WhatsApp Web in the mobile environment, such as Chat Messenger for WhatsApp for iPad and Messenger Tablet for Android.

Further alternatives to using WhatsApp Web on tablet can be found by reading my guide on how to install WhatsApp on tablet, but this is good that you keep it in mind, the solutions that I have suggested to suggest in this case are a little more complex than those that I have already reported to you. In any case, evaluate yourself.