WhatsApp Mac Beta With Native Apple Silicon Support Now Available to All Users

[MacRumors]

WhatsApp has been working on an updated Mac app that features native Apple silicon support since the summer, and a beta version of the app is now available to all WhatsApp users who want to try it out.

As noted by WABetaInfo, the Mac app with native Apple Silicon support can be downloaded from the WhatsApp website, with the download available directly by clicking here.

The beta was previously available to a limited number of people with WhatsApp TestFlight access, but WhatsApp is expanding testing ahead of an official release. Note that this is still a beta, so some features might not be functioning as expected.

Apple silicon Macs have access to the Electron-based Intel version of WhatsApp for Mac through Rosetta 2, but this is the first time that a native version has been made widely available. The Apple silicon-optimized Universal app will run faster and use less resources on machines with the M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra, M2, M2 Pro, and M2 Max chips.

Article Link: WhatsApp Mac Beta With Native Apple Silicon Support Now Available to All Users

 

[mnsportsgeek]

If I download the Beta will it auto-update to the next official release?

 

[SoldOnApple]

In Australia no one really uses WhatsApp, probably because every mobile plan here has unlimited text messages and Australia has never charged to receive texts. Foreigners will tend to use it here, but WhatsApp is strongly associated with scammers in Australia in my experience.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

This means WhatsApp for ipad is coming soon !!

Hopefully before 2040

 

[DocMultimedia]

I don't know anyone that uses it in the states. I'm not young, not involved in crime, and don't live in Asia (I hear it is heavily used there). So I'm just am old fuddy duddy.

 

[Kevrani]

It’s handy for texting and call family overseas. It’s the only Meta product that is genuinely useful.

 

[barkomatic]

I live in the States and use WhatsApp to talk to my friends in other countries that don't have iPhones. I don't know why people assume that something they don't personally use must be bad.

 

[kyjaotkb]

Finally! Always fascinating to see reactions from Americans on here re: Whatsapp. Here in London, 95% of my contacts use iPhones and yet I exclusively use Apple Messages for 2FA codes and tracking updates. Virtually all green bubbles. Funny how iMessage quietly died down over the years. I know a few Apple hardcore fans who use iMessages but for the most part, Whatsapp is the universal app here.

Now it would be great if the 3-4 spyware apps (can you believe they still ise McAffee) my company installs on my M1Pro MBP moved to AS. The constant use of Rosetta means I never had more than 4.5 hours of battery on my 14-inch.

 

[MacLawyer]

We Intel Mac owners have only a few years of updates left I'm afraid.

 

[Rand0mUserNam3]

Facebook Meta is one of the last companies you should trust your personal information and conversations with. Use any other messaging app but WhatsApp or Messenger.

I’m lost why What’sApp gets such positive promotion here on the regular?

Apple Messages, Signal and plain old text works for me.

Which do you use instead?

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Facebook Meta is one of the last companies you should trust your personal information and conversations with. Use any other messaging app but WhatsApp or Messenger.

I’m lost why What’sApp gets such positive promotion here on the regular?

Apple Messages, Signal and plain old text works for me.

Which do you use instead?

WhatsApp is end to end encrypted , and has been for a while , way before iMessages(iCloud) which just got end to end , lol

 

[goobot]

I don't know anyone that uses it in the states. I'm not young, not involved in crime, and don't live in Asia (I hear it is heavily used there). So I'm just am old fuddy duddy.

No one outside of Europe seems to use it for the most part. Why Europe seems to use it so much is beyond me.

 

[icanhazmac]

Bad enough I need to have this Meta spyware crap on my phone for work, it is NEVER getting on my Mac.

 

[blairh]

No one outside of Europe seems to use it for the most part. Why Europe seems to use it so much is beyond me.

LOL.

What Countries are the Biggest WhatsApp Users?

WhatsApp is the most popular private messaging app in the world, with more than 2 billion users across 180 countries. Learn more.

www.verint.com

WhatsApp is better than iMessage. I wished more Americans used it.

 

[goobot]

LOL.

What Countries are the Biggest WhatsApp Users?

WhatsApp is the most popular private messaging app in the world, with more than 2 billion users across 180 countries. Learn more.

www.verint.com

WhatsApp is better than iMessage. I wished more Americans used it.

Did you even read the article you posted? Accessing and using are two very different things. I downloaded and accessed the app once too and it counts me as a user even tho I’ve never even sent a message on there.

 

[hexcalibur]

Did you even read the article you posted? Accessing and using are two very different things. I downloaded and accessed the app once too and it counts me as a user even tho I’ve never even sent a message on there.

Outside of the US it's huge. Even in Canada I was surprised when I asked my students (university) how they communicated for group work and class notes and so on. The university makes MS Teams available for free and everyone has a university email account, but *every student* said they use WhatsApp for team projects and class work.

I use it to keep up with friends and family in Europe. It's the go-to app for texting. Excited to have a desktop client for my Mac, as I hate typing on my phone.

 

[blairh]

Did you even read the article you posted? Accessing and using are two very different things. I downloaded and accessed the app once too and it counts me as a user even tho I’ve never even sent a message on there.

WhatsApp is widely used and popular in those nations listed. That’s a fact.

 

[fivemufc]

Did you even read the article you posted? Accessing and using are two very different things. I downloaded and accessed the app once too and it counts me as a user even tho I’ve never even sent a message on there.

2 European countries in the Top 10 from 2021 but noone uses it.

Whatsapp groups and inline replies are superior to iMessage.

 

[supremedesigner]

Facebook Meta is one of the last companies you should trust your personal information and conversations with. Use any other messaging app but WhatsApp or Messenger.

I’m lost why What’sApp gets such positive promotion here on the regular?

Apple Messages, Signal and plain old text works for me.

Which do you use instead?

I used iMessage and Signal. Never used WhatsApp since it’s Facebook owned.

WhatsApp is end to end encrypted , and has been for a while , way before iMessages(iCloud) which just got end to end , lol

“End to end encrypted” - there I fixed it. It’s never truly encrypted though.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

I used iMessage and Signal. Never used WhatsApp since it’s Facebook owned.


“End to end encrypted” - there I fixed it. It’s never truly encrypted though.

They claim it is , you think they’re lying ? I dunno

If end to end encrypted it means they don’t have access to it . Same for apple in iOS 16.3

 

[StoneJack]

I don't know anyone that uses it in the states. I'm not young, not involved in crime, and don't live in Asia (I hear it is heavily used there). So I'm just am old fuddy duddy.

In Asia, we use Messenger FB, WeChat, Viber

 

[fwmireault]

Omg finally!!

 

[japanime]

I don't know anyone that uses it in the states. I'm not young, not involved in crime, and don't live in Asia (I hear it is heavily used there). So I'm just am old fuddy duddy.

I don't know about the rest of Asia, but it definitely isn't popular in Japan. Even if it was, I wouldn't put it on my phone. It's got the stank of Meta/Facebook oozing from its digital pores.

 

[sw1tcher]

In Australia no one really uses WhatsApp

Over 12 million or 36 percent of Australian population is a lot of nobodys

Social Media Statistics Australia – March 2022 : Social Media News Blog Australia

www.socialmedianews.com.au

Social Media Statistics Australia – March 2022

1. Facebook – 18,000,000 Monthly Active Australian Users (steady)
2. YouTube – 17,500,000 Unique Australian Visitors per month (UAVs)
3. WhatsApp – 12,000,000 Active Australian Users
4. Instagram – 10,000,000 Monthly Active Australian Users (FB/ Instagram data)
5. LinkedIn – 6,500,000 Monthly Active Australian Users approx

Most used messenger by brand in Australia 2024| Statista

We asked Australian consumers about "Most used messenger by brand" and found that "Facebook Messenger" takes the top spot, while "Viber" is at the other end of the ranking.

www.statista.com

 

[sw1tcher]

I’m lost why What’sApp gets such positive promotion here on the regular?

Maybe it's because it's the most used messaging app in the world?

Psst! There are other countries besides the U.S.

Messaging App Revenue and Usage Statistics (2025)

Over three billion people use messaging apps, making them one of the most popular app types. For most people, mobile messaging consists of two platforms: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Collectively, over 2.8 billion people use one of these two platforms, in some markets the two apps hold over...

www.businessofapps.com

Key messaging app statistics

• Over three billion people actively use messaging apps around the world
• WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app, with 2.4 billion users, followed by Facebook Messenger
• WhatsApp is also the most downloaded messaging app of 2020 and 2021

Top messaging apps

WhatsApp: The most popular messaging app in the world, with over five billion downloads and two billion active users

Most popular messaging apps 2025| Statista

As of February 2025, approximately two billion users were accessing Meta's WhatsApp messenger on a monthly basis.

www.statista.com