The current WhatsApp app for PC is based on Electron, which helps bring web technologies to a more traditional app format. However, the performance of the app is less than stellar. Facebook has released a new beta version of the WhatsApp Desktop app based on UWP, using the XAML UI language to fit right in with native Windows apps.
The new WhatsApp Desktop app is currently in its beta testing phase and can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store for Windows 10 and Windows 11. You can check out the beta app by clicking here.
The UWP based app brings in a number of improvements including notifications that work when the app is closed and a new writing pad feature. The new drawing feature allows users with the help of Windows Ink to sketch up an image and share it within WhatsApp. Some of the elements like the search box and chat bubbles still use sharp corners, but there are a few minor design changes like Windows 11’s new Mica material that allows the desktop background to slightly shine through inside the app.
Apart from these, the new WhatsApp Desktop beta app also gets a number of new settings that are also available in the mobile app including privacy settings, notifications, storage and more.
To recall, a UWB version of the WhatsApp Desktop app was first teased over two years ago by WABetaInfo.
In other news, WhatsApp is currently rolling out a new beta update, which will allow its users to selectively restrict the ‘last seen’ status, profile photo and About section for iPhone users. According to a report by WABetaInfo, the new privacy feature provides the user with more control over their data. With this, WhatsApp iOS beta testers will be able to select specific contacts to hide their ‘last seen’ status from them.
