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WhatsApp Business Web is a widely used tool by professionals and companies to stay in touch with customers. WhatsApp is currently one of the main instant messaging applications, with over two billion users worldwide. In addition to enabling free conversations between private users, WhatsApp has also become a communication tool for companies, thanks to the WhatsApp Business version.
In another analysis we talked about the differences between WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp Business API. In this comprehensive guide, we want to focus on the use of WhatsApp Web and the advantages it can offer to professionals and companies.
What is WhatsApp Business Web?
WhatsApp Business Web and WhatsApp Business Desktop are computer extensions developed to enable access to WhatsApp conversations from PC. The desktop version is available for both private clients and business accounts. In this guide we primarily address professionals and companies, but the setup is also similar for private clients who choose to access from a computer.
WhatsApp developers have created applications compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems. They have also developed a version accessible directly from the browser and a specific extension for Google Chrome.
The main difference between WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop is that in the former case it is a version accessible directly from the browser, while in the latter case it is an application that needs to be installed on the computer.
What are the advantages of WhatsApp Web?
The spread of WhatsApp web and desktop versions has been made possible by the benefits of accessing conversations directly from a PC. Let's analyze in detail the advantages of WhatsApp Web to understand why so many companies have introduced it into their daily activities.
Access to chats directly from the computer
The first advantage is easy to understand: thanks to WhatsApp Desktop and Web, it's possible to access chats directly from the computer, saving time when already working on the PC.
Professionals and employees of companies that have chosen WhatsApp to stay in touch with customers can respond in real-time without needing to resort to using an additional device, such as a smartphone.
Sharing files saved on the computer
Another advantage is the ability to access files saved on the computer so they can be shared in WhatsApp conversations. This represents a significant strength for professional activities.
It may be the case that the files, images and audio content needed are only saved on the work PC. If WhatsApp is being used on a smartphone, it would first be necessary to have access to these files in order to share them later. This would result in a loss of time and worsen the customer experience.
Improved response experience
Accessing WhatsApp from a computer allows for the use of a larger screen. Professionals can therefore better manage conversations, easily reading customer messages and responding using the PC keyboard.
Do WhatsApp Desktop and Web have disadvantages?
For the proper functioning of the messaging application on a PC, it's necessary for the smartphone to be nearby and have an internet connection. WhatsApp developers are working to improve this aspect and make the web and desktop versions increasingly independent of the smartphone.
Another aspect the developers are working on is the multi-user experience. Currently, the desktop and web versions are not yet ready to be used simultaneously by multiple users. This means that if there are multiple employees responsible for managing customer service, they will struggle to all use WhatsApp at the same time to handle multiple conversations. The current version of WhatsApp Business allows you to link up to a maximum of five devices (one smartphone and four computers) to each phone number.
To address this issue and optimize the management of customer conversations, companies can decide to integrate a WhatsApp chatbot into the ecommerce platform. We invite you to read our guide to discover more about WhatsApp bot functionalities and how to achieve the perfect integration.
Main Differences between WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop
Both the applications for Windows and Mac PC and the browser version (and the extension for Google Chrome) make it possible to quickly access WhatsApp chats directly from a computer. However, there are differences between WhatsApp Desktop and WhatsApp Web that need to be highlighted.
The desktop version has more features compared to the browser version. The version accessible directly from the browser is used to read and respond to conversations from a PC but offers a simplified experience. With the desktop version, you can instead use keyboard shortcuts and even make voice calls directly from the PC.
Another advantage of the desktop version is security. The applications for Mac and Windows use end-to-end encryption to protect sensitive data and prevent external parties from reading exchanged messages. This type of encryption is not available for the browser version.
How to Use WhatsApp Business Web: Configuration and Usage Guide
Let's see together the procedures to follow to connect to WhatsApp Desktop from a Windows or Mac PC and to connect to WhatsApp Web from a browser.
WhatsApp Desktop on Windows
WhatsApp Desktop for Windows is the PC application that can be installed on computers using the Windows operating system. First, you need to install the official app by downloading it from the Microsoft Store.
Once the installation is complete, you can proceed to connect the application to WhatsApp chats. To do this, simply open the app and scan the QR code displayed on the initial screen with your smartphone.
To scan the QR code, open the WhatsApp Business application on your smartphone, tap on the menu, then tap on Linked devices and then tap on Link a device. This activates the camera, allowing you to scan the QR code and start the synchronization of conversations.
The desktop version for Windows requires version 10 or later of the operating system. If an earlier version of Windows is installed on your PC, it's necessary to use WhatsApp Web.
Shortcuts for WhatsApp on Windows
To make using WhatsApp on a Windows PC faster, you can use the following shortcuts:
- Ctrl + Shift + U: Mark as read;
- Ctrl + Shift + D: Delete a chat;
- Ctrl + Shift + M: Mute a chat;
- Ctrl + Tab: Move to the next chat;
- Ctrl + Shift + F: Search in chat;
- Ctrl + ,: Access settings;
- Ctrl + E: Access the emoji list;
- Ctrl + N: Create a new chat;
- Ctrl + Shift + P: Pin a chat;
- Esc: Close a chat;
- Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move to the previous chat;
- Ctrl + Shift + N: Create a new group.
WhatsApp Desktop on Mac
WhatsApp Desktop for Mac is the PC application that can be installed on computers using the Mac operating system. First you need to install the official app, which can be used with operating system version 11 or later.
Once the installation is complete, you can proceed to connect the application to WhatsApp chats. To do this, simply open the app and scan the QR code displayed on the initial screen with your smartphone.
To scan the QR code, open the WhatsApp Business application on your smartphone, tap on the menu, then tap on Linked devices and then tap on Link a device. This activates the camera, allowing you to scan the QR code and start the synchronization of conversations.
Shortcuts for WhatsApp on Mac
To make using WhatsApp on a Mac PC faster, you can use the following shortcuts:
- Cmd + Shift + U: Mark as read;
- Cmd + Shift + D: Delete a chat;
- Cmd + Shift + M: Mute a chat;
- Cmd + Tab: Move to the next chat;
- Cmd + Shift + F: Search in chat;
- Cmd + ,: Access settings;
- Cmd + E: Access the emoji list;
- Cmd + N: Create a new chat;
- Cmd + Shift + P: Pin a chat;
- Esc: Close a chat;
- Cmd + Shift + Tab: Move to the previous chat;
- Cmd + Shift + N: Create a new group.
WhatsApp Web on browser
WhatsApp Web is the fastest method to access WhatsApp conversations from a computer. It doesn't require the installation of any application. It's enough to connect to the official website of the web version directly from a browser.
To access the chats, you need to scan the QR code displayed on the PC with your smartphone. From the settings of the smartphone app, tap on WhatsApp Web/Desktop and then scan the QR code.
WhatsApp Web supports connection from various browsers: it is compatible with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox. Unlike the applications, in the case of using the web version, it won't be possible to connect multiple devices simultaneously.
WhatsApp Business API: What They Are and How to Leverage Them
To fully leverage the potential of WhatsApp and make it an optimal tool for staying in touch with customers, companies can utilize WhatsApp Business APIs. APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are a set of protocols and functions that enable communication between different applications. APIs act as a bridge between services and different applications, simplifying the integration of new functionalities.
Regarding WhatsApp Business, thanks to APIs it's possible to enhance the user experience of the messaging application and introduce new functionalities beneficial to customers. A concrete example of API usage is with WhatsApp chatbots, which can be chosen for WhatsApp customer service.
Artificial intelligence has further expanded the possibilities of action and made it possible to develop a new generation of chatbots. TextYess is among the best AI chatbots. This is an AI shopping assistant on WhatsApp that improves conversation management and customer service - with an average conversion rate in chat of 15%!
This AI shopping assistant provides instant 24/7 responses and converses with customers naturally. Customers can inquire about products in the catalog and receive purchasing advice. They can also ask about orders they've placed and track shipment progress.
WhatsApp Desktop and Web: Our Conclusions
The Windows/Mac applications and the browser version of WhatsApp enhance the use of this messaging service. Companies relying on WhatsApp Business to communicate with customers can benefit from using WhatsApp directly from their PCs.
In this guide we have analyzed the features of WhatsApp Desktop and Web, explored their advantages and explained how to configure them. We have also discussed artificial intelligence, detailing how to further enhance WhatsApp with the AI shopping assistant TextYess.