The popular instant messenger WhatsApp was developed with smartphones in mind. Over the years, however, the app has also become available for computers – with a brand new version for macOS released last month. Now WhatsApp is finally coming to the iPad, allowing users to access their messages on any Apple device.
WhatsApp now has a beta iPad app
As reported by WABetaInfo, the latest version of WhatsApp Beta available on Apple’s TestFlight is compatible with iPadOS. Previously, iPad users had to use the web version, as there was no iPadOS app and the iPhone version was not compatible with Apple’s tablet.
9to5Mac has confirmed that WhatsApp Beta now works on the iPad using a similar approach to the Mac app. Once you install and open the app, you will be asked to use WhatsApp on your phone to scan a QR code. Then the app will download all your conversations and you can send and receive messages on your iPhone, iPad and Mac.
The iPad app works even if the iPhone is not nearby or not connected to the same Wi-Fi network, also similar to the new macOS app. The interface takes advantage of the iPad’s larger screen to display more content in columns. The first indications that WhatsApp was working on an iPad app surfaced on the internet in 2021.
As you may have noticed, the iPad version (like the desktop version) is just a companion app. This means that you cannot create a new WhatsApp account from it. Still, having an iPad app to access your phone’s messages is already good news for WhatsApp users.
Availability
Unfortunately, it’s still unclear when WhatsApp for iPad will be available to the public. The beta version is only available through TestFlight and getting access to this version is quite difficult as the slots are very limited. Hopefully it won’t be long before it hits the App Store. (However, it took almost a year for the Mac version to be released.)
In the meantime, you can download the current version of WhatsApp for iPhone for free from the App Store.
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