WhatsApp Working on App for iPadOS and macOS Using Mac Catalyst

WhatsApp is working on an app for iPadOS, and thanks to Mac Catalyst, an app for macOS too, according to WABetaInfo.

Whatsapp Feature
WhatsApp's rumored app for iPad will be a Catalyst app, enabling it to run seamlessly on macOS. This effectively allows the same app to share code while running on separate platforms.

The new WhatsApp app for macOS apparently looks very similar to the app for iPadOS, featuring the same basic interface, but there are some minor UI changes to accommodate a desktop experience. Presumably, this new Mac app will replace the existing macOS WhatsApp app and no longer rely on a connected smartphone.

The new apps will be supported by multi-device capability, allowing users to use their WhatsApp account on up to four different linked devices even when their main smartphone is not connected to the internet. WABetaInfo said that WhatsApp will enable support for macOS at a later date, suggesting that the iPad app may be released first.

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
airpods color prototypes

Apple Tested AirPods in Bright Colors

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:06 am PST by
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases. The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white. They seem close to some...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...
iPhone SE Cosmopolitan Clean

Apple Discontinued These 25 Products This Year

Wednesday December 24, 2025 7:24 am PST by
With the end of 2025 near, the time has come to look back at the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Most of the products that were discontinued this year were simply replaced by a new model with an updated chip. However, the iPhone SE line was entirely discontinued when the iPhone 16e launched, and the iPhone Plus line is being phased out. Below, we have...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...

Top Rated Comments

Havoc035 Avatar
54 months ago
Not a big Meta fan at all. But I have to hand it to them, using Catalyst to build the mac app is way better than having it based on Electron.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
54 months ago
How long does it take years
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orbital~debris Avatar
54 months ago
Talking of Signal, I hope this spurs them into creating a better ‘Signal Desktop’ macOS app (with more features, better integration with the OS, fuller menus, proper preferences window etc.) that can also go into the Mac App Store
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johannnn Avatar
54 months ago
And the watch? I need an app for the watch.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nebulosan Avatar
54 months ago

Not a big Meta fan at all. But I have to hand it to them, using Catalyst to build the mac app is way better than having it based on Electron.
I also read that they are ditching Electron in their Facebook Messenger desktop app in favor of an AppKit based one.

Even if one is not a user of FB/WhatsApp, this is good news since other developers can look at what tools and frameworks big companies like Facebook choose.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mockletoy Avatar
54 months ago

Isn't there already a WhatsApp app for macOS?

https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/whatsapp-desktop/id1147396723?l=fr&mt=12
That was always more of a companion app. Until quite recently it couldn’t actually do anything but basically mirror messages from your phone, which it had to be connected to at all times.

Just in the last little while they started a beta test of letting the app actually connect to the WhatsApp servers and do stuff on its own.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)