WhatsApp is dropping its native Windows app in favor of an uglier web version

Meta is planning to drop its native WhatsApp Windows app in favor of a web wrapper version instead, just months after introducing a native iPad app. The latest beta version of WhatsApp on Windows includes the major changes, with Meta noting it has “updated how WhatsApp beta looks and works.”

Behind the scenes it’s a big change to WhatsApp on Windows, moving it from a native Windows and WinUI app to the WhatsApp web version simply wrapped in a web view. That means not only does the app look different, but the way notifications work has changed and the settings UI is far more basic. The beta app also includes WhatsApp Channels and “more functionality” for Status and Communities features.

Meta is using Microsoft’s Edge WebView2 technology in the latest WhatsApp beta, allowing it to easily package up its web version of WhatsApp into a desktop app. Windows Latest points out that this makes it easier for Meta to maintain a single code base, instead of having to also maintain a native Windows app.

It’s a disappointing change if you’re a daily user of WhatsApp on Windows, especially as it means the web app won’t look like it’s part of Windows 11 anymore and will use more RAM than the native version. Ironically, WhatsApp even notes that native versions of its Windows and Mac apps “provide increased performance and reliability, more ways to collaborate, and features to improve your productivity.”

WhatsApp originally launched as a native app on Windows just a few years ago, and it allowed you to run the app without having to directly sync to your phone.