OpenWhats

DISCLAIMER: This is NOT an official WhatsApp application. This is an independent, open-source project that wraps WhatsApp Web in a native desktop window. WhatsApp is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc.

A simple and lightweight WhatsApp desktop wrapper for Linux, built with Electron. No bloat, no unnecessary features — just WhatsApp Web running cleanly as a first-class desktop application. If you're tired of keeping a browser tab open just for WhatsApp, this app gives you a dedicated, distraction-free window with proper desktop integration, right where you'd expect it in your applications menu.

Features

• Native desktop window — WhatsApp Web without the browser overhead
• System tray integration — minimize to tray and keep running in the background
• Desktop notifications — get notified of new messages even when the window is minimized
• Keyboard shortcuts — navigate conversations without touching the mouse
• Clean, minimal UI — no unnecessary toolbars or chrome around the content
• Lightweight — low memory footprint compared to keeping a browser tab open
• Works across all major Linux distributions

Getting started

Once installed, launch the app and scan the QR code with your phone's WhatsApp app to link your account. From there, everything works exactly as you'd expect from WhatsApp Web.

Requirements

An active WhatsApp account linked to a mobile device An internet connection snapd (already included on Ubuntu and most modern distros)

Open source

This project is open source and licensed under the MIT License. Contributions, bug reports, and feature requests are welcome on GitHub.

This application connects to WhatsApp Web and does not store or process your messages locally. All communication goes through WhatsApp's own servers.