Previously, WhatsApp did not have a desktop version; even Windows and Mac users had to rely on the web-based version. This changed last year when Windows received its original version and macOS’s original version went into beta. It was initially a closed beta for TestFlight participants only. WhatsApp for macOS, on the other hand, is now available for Mac users to download.
Mac users can download WhatsApp for macOS
It is available for macOS Big Sur and higher and can be downloaded from the official website. This version is still in the early stages of development, according to the website.
Surprisingly, the WhatsApp team used Apple’s Mac Catalyst framework, which allows developers to create apps that work on both iPadOS and macOS. This is odd because there is no WhatsApp app for iPad (users are expected to use the web version instead). Perhaps this will change once the app is released from beta.
In any case, native apps will perform faster and more efficiently on Mac hardware (as well as Windows versions) than web versions. This is great news for current Mac users.