Meta has begun a transformation in how WhatsApp works on Windows, abandoning its native application in favor of a web version encapsulated using WebView2 technology , the same technology used by Microsoft Edge. This change, already visible in the beta phase, marks a turning point for those seeking a faster, smoother experience fully adapted to Microsoft's operating system.
The news has generated considerable controversy among regular users of the service , especially because it means abandoning the advantages offered by the native app in favor of a multiplatform solution that is easier for Meta to maintain, but with clear negative implications for performance and usability.
What does it mean to move from a native app to a web version?
The transition from an application designed specifically for Windows to a web version packaged in WebView2 means sacrificing many of the optimizations inherent in a native app . The new version of WhatsApp functions as if it were the WhatsApp website open in a window, which leads to higher RAM consumption, more processes running in the background, and consequently, lower overall performance, especially on less powerful computers.
Among the most notable effects of this change, users experience a loss of integration with the operating system . Features such as Windows Hello login, advanced notifications, and fast file sharing are now less effective or disappear altogether. Laptop battery life is reduced, and the application is slower to open and navigate chats.
Tests conducted on the beta version have confirmed that memory consumption increases by approximately 30% compared to the native version , and the presence of multiple WebView2-related processes in the Task Manager is evident. User complaints on tech forums point to frequent crashes, lag, and even occasional freezes when handling large files or voluminous conversations.
Reasons behind Meta's decision
Meta justifies this move for strategic and technical reasons: centralizing development, reducing costs, and facilitating updates . By using the same codebase for Windows, Mac, Linux, and the web, the company can release new features simultaneously across all platforms without needing to maintain separate applications.
This change helps Meta simplify maintenance, but it represents a clear step backward for Windows users , who until now enjoyed a faster application with lower resource consumption and better system integration. The trend, as with other major services, is to prioritize software uniformity and portability over optimization for each operating system.
Main differences compared to the native app
The native Windows version of WhatsApp, released in 2022 and based on UWP and WinUI, offered tangible improvements over the older Electron-based version . It made the app independent of the mobile device, used less RAM, and allowed for smoother operation, with better notifications and reduced power consumption.
With the arrival of WebView2, the experience is now the same as using WhatsApp through a web browser . Advanced features are lost, such as biometric integration, smooth file dragging and dropping, large group video calls, and complete independence from the mobile phone. Furthermore, users notice less interface customization, more basic menus, and less adaptation to the Windows 11 design.
The new solution incorporates some improvements in channels, communities, and statuses, but it fails to compensate for the difference in performance or the missing features , something especially sensitive for those who use WhatsApp as a work tool on their desktop.
Currently, the new application is being tested in the beta channel. All indications are that in the coming weeks Meta will gradually phase out the native version and leave the packaged web version as the only official option for Windows . Users still using the original app will be able to continue using it for a while, but once the general update arrives, the transition will be mandatory.
The recommendation for those who value performance or battery life on their devices is to keep the Microsoft Store app until an update becomes absolutely necessary . For now, WhatsApp promises to maintain essential features, but further changes are possible as the transition is completed.
Meta is committed to a single codebase, reinforcing the trend towards cross-platform applications, even if it means sacrificing optimization and performance for desktop users . The user community has expressed its discontent, but it seems the new standard will be to coexist with an encapsulated web version, less efficient than the native app that many considered exemplary until recently.
