WABetaInfo reported Tuesday that Meta-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp has officially “deprecated” its Electron-based desktop app on Windows.
After the version expires, users will be prompted to switch to the new native app as a replacement for the outdated version to continue using the messaging app on their websites.
According to the WhatsApp news tracker, the move is aimed at providing a “more refined, stable and feature-rich” experience to users using the app on desktop devices.
The quick transition drew a reaction of dissatisfaction from some users because the native app lacked business tools, including quick replies, and catalog management, for effective customer communication.
WABetaInfo said, “Actually, the deprecation was not that unexpected as WhatsApp had notified users 4 weeks ago by showing a countdown on the app’s main screen.”
As can be seen in this screenshot, users will see this expiration message when they open the Electron-based WhatsApp desktop application.
Below the message, there’s a button to click, which will direct users to the new native app on their desktop computers.
However, the deprecation of the Electron app appears to be limited to WhatsApp Desktop for Windows only.
“The Electron Framework allows developers to create cross-platform desktop applications using web technologies by developing a single code base that works on different operating systems such as Windows and macOS.”
While native apps have a smoother and more intuitive user interface, better responsiveness, and better stability, providing a more robust and reliable messaging service.
To ensure uninterrupted access to WhatsApp on desktop, users need to switch from the outdated Electron version to the native app.
Since the WhatsApp desktop app built with the Electron framework is out of date, users need to download the native desktop app for Windows from the Microsoft Store.
Those who want to access business tools can consider using WhatsApp Web as a temporary solution.
WhatsApp News Tracker said it hopes to launch business features for the native app soon.
