Summary

  • Meta has released a beta version of WhatsApp for iPad.
  • Users can install the native WhatsApp app through TestFlight, allowing them to use WhatsApp on their iPad without requiring their phone.
  • Although some features are not fully available yet, Meta plans to roll out updates to fix bugs and improve the app's functionality.

While you may love being able to chat with friends and family on WhatsApp, being unable to sync the app across all your devices can prove pretty inconvenient. Continuing a conversation on an iPad after starting it on your phone hasn’t been easy due to the lack of a stable WhatsApp app for the device. Now, Meta appears to be addressing the long-standing issue with the creation of a compatible version of WhatsApp for the iPad.

A native WhatsApp app built with Mac Catalyst has been released by Meta, and it’s now available to beta testers who already use the beta app on mobile devices (via WABetaInfo). It can be installed through the TestFlight app, so long as you have the beta WhatsApp downloaded on your iPhone or iPad. If you’re interested in trying it out as a beta tester, start by opening WhatsApp on your iOS device. In Settings, navigate to Linked Devices and select “Link a device.” After scanning the QR code and linking your iOS device, you’ll be able to use WhatsApp on it without requiring your phone to maintain an internet connection.

Image of iPad 2022 in hand

This undoubtedly improves the potential for seamless communication when a WhatsApp user wants to shift from one device to another. However, it’s not without flaws — some features are not fully available just yet, such as the option to view and post statuses. As the app is updated, Meta intends to roll out remedies for these bugs and other logged issues.

Despite how connected WhatsApp keeps its users, Meta hasn’t always made sure that the app plays well with all operating systems and devices. The European Union recently identified Meta as a gatekeeper in the instant messaging industry amidst the rollout of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Now, the company has six months to enable interoperability in WhatsApp, meaning it must allow users to receive messages from other apps. The goal is to prevent businesses, such as Meta, from stifling competition in the EU.

As Meta has rolled out a beta version of the app to support its functionality on the iPad, it has also seemingly begun to make moves to comply with the DMA. Beta testers have spotted a blank screen titled “Third-party chats,” presumably to receive messages from other software. While nothing has been made official just yet, the move could put Meta one step closer to removing its gatekeeper designation from the EU. If you rely on WhatsApp to stay in touch with your friends and family, these pushes to make the service more compatible will likely play into your favor.