Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2022 November 24

= November 24 =

What'sApp Web
Is it possible now to download this application directly to the computer, without the need to connect to the cellphone first ? בנצי (talk) 21:21, 24 November 2022 (UTC)
 * I'm not sure what you mean by "connect to cellphone first" but you need your cellphone as part of the authentication process. If you have wi-fi or hard wired internet you can download the app without your phone. 41.23.55.195 (talk) 06:03, 25 November 2022 (UTC)
 * Do you need a cellular number, or will a VoIP number suffice, such as Google Voice, that can be operated from a Windows/MacOS computer? Elizium23 (talk) 07:57, 25 November 2022 (UTC)
 * I've never tried that but "... service requires a cellular mobile telephone number to sign up." according to the first paragraph in the Whatsapp article. 41.23.55.195 (talk) 09:32, 25 November 2022 (UTC)
 * In the past, you phone needed to be connected to What's App (i.e on and with an active internet connection and the application running) for any of the web or desktop clients to work. I believe your phone was used to relay messages or something, I assume with a different encryption key and your phone was the only one able to actually decrypt the original messages relayed by WhatsApp. It seems they may have finally gotten ride of this requirement [//www.bbc.com/news/technology-57849883] (yes that was a beta but I see some Indian sites saying you don't need a connection so I think it might have been rolled out). However AFAIK you can still only signup for What's App via the phone app. You could try running it in an Android emulator. I have no idea if this works or is allowed in their ToS. I wonder if Elizium23 is slightly confused about the process of getting the web or desktop apps to work. This requires you to scan a QR code in the What's App mobile application for the authentication which I assume also shares the encryption key to your web/desktop application. It's not simply a case of SMS confirmation. (You do need SMS confirmation when signing up for What'sApp on your phone's application.) Nil Einne (talk) 16:10, 26 November 2022 (UTC)