WhatsApp launched its desktop/web client in 2015. WhatsApp Web was officially released on January 21, 2015, allowing people to read and send messages through a desktop browser while their conversations remained connected to the mobile app.
The service worked by displaying a QR code at web.whatsapp.com. Users scanned it with WhatsApp on their phone, linking the browser session to their account. At launch, WhatsApp Web supported Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone, while iPhone support came later because of platform limitations.
A common mix-up is between WhatsApp Web and the standalone desktop applications. WhatsApp Web arrived in 2015, but dedicated Windows and macOS desktop apps were introduced in 2016. Another major change came in 2021, when WhatsApp began testing linked devices that could operate without the phone maintaining an active internet connection.