Making calls with WhatsApp on the computer: This is now finally possible, so the wait is over. The messenger now integrates voice and video calls in the WhatsApp desktop app. We explain what requirements you have to meet to use the feature.
WhatsApp brings voice and video calls to the desktop
Despite all the concerns, WhatsApp is still the largest (and, for many people, the most popular) messenger in the world. And although the messenger is designed for smartphones, more and more people are using it on the desktop as well.
Until now, however, it was not possible to make phone calls to friends, relatives and acquaintances in the Messenger’s desktop app. The service is now changing that. From now on, you can also make calls on the desktop with WhatsApp.
“Communicating through a larger screen makes collaborating with your colleagues easier and reuniting with your family more enjoyable. You now have your hands free to move around unhindered during your conversation,” the company writes in the announcement.
Making calls with WhatsApp on desktop: These are the conditions you need to meet
In order to be able to move your WhatsApp calls from your smartphone to your computer in the future, your device has to meet a few requirements, but they shouldn’t usually be a problem.
- Windows 10 64-bit version 1903 or higher or macOS version 10.13 or higher
- A camera, microphone, and audio output device, as well as permission for WhatsApp to access these features.
You also need an active Internet connection on your computer and on your smartphone. The call is not made via your phone, but the connection is established via it, which is why you need Internet.
Currently, only calls between two users are possible on the WhatsApp desktop app. Group calls are therefore not possible yet. However, WhatsApp has already announced that the feature will follow in the next few weeks or months.
End-to-end encryption also takes effect in the WhatsApp desktop app
If you are now worried about your data, WhatsApp gives the all-clear. Just like on the smartphone, all your voice and video calls are protected by end-to-end encryption on the desktop.
This means that no employee on WhatsApp or Facebook can listen in on or record your phone calls. Only you and the person you’re talking to know what you’re talking or writing about.
By the way: The previous record for voice and video calls via WhatsApp was set on December 31, 2020. Around the globe, there were 1.4 billion (!) phone calls made via Messenger.
