WhatsApp gets standalone Windows app

Previously, users on Windows had to download WhatsApp's web-based desktop app or access the service from their web browsers

Meta-owned WhatsApp's new app on Windows no longer requires users to link their phones to send, receive, and sync messages.

According to The Verge, an update on WhatsApp's site revealed the refreshed Windows app is out of beta and available to download on the Microsoft Store.

Previously, users on Windows had to download WhatsApp's web-based desktop app or access the messaging service from their web browsers.

The new app is native to Windows, which, as WhatsApp explains, should make the app faster and more responsive, the report said.

The redesigned WhatsApp has a slightly cleaner interface when compared to the previous version of the app but otherwise does not look all that different.

The most significant change is that users no longer need to keep their phones online to sync messages between the phone and the desktop app. WhatsApp said it is currently working on a native app for macOS as well.

WhatsApp's multi-device feature has been fully rolled out and is out of beta. This lets users link up to four devices to their WhatsApp account without needing a phone, all while maintaining end-to-end encryption.