WhatsApp Desktop is a Firefox extension that lets you access your WhatsApp account through a pop-up window. One of its advantages is that your session stays active at all times, so you just click its icon to start chatting. The tool also provides real-time notifications through pop-up windows, showing total messages, read and unread messages, and more.
Installing WhatsApp Desktop
Once the add-on is installed in your browser, you will see an icon in the top-right corner of the menu bar. Clicking it opens a window with a QR code so you can sync your mobile WhatsApp account with the web version.
Syncing with your phone
On your phone, open WhatsApp and go to the menu (usually the left button of the device). Select the option “WhatsApp Web” and scan the code. In our tests, synchronization was automatic.
Features and backup
The service is really good and provides all the features of the mobile version: attaching files, recording and listening to audio, and viewing videos and photos. You can also use it to back up your conversations by loading the history.
One risk we found is that there is no notification when your account is synced. Anyone could pick up your device and have your WhatsApp account open in their browser. This is certainly something developers should improve.
WhatsApp Desktop is a free extension available for the Firefox browser.
