WhatsApp requires no introduction. It’s one of the most used instant messaging services in the world. Even though there are plenty of competitors around, WhatsApp has been the undisputed king of instant messaging services for over a decade now.
In addition to smartphones, a version of the WhatsApp app has been officially made available for the Windows operating system so that users can access WhatsApp on their PCs without the need to keep their phones connected to the internet. However, sadly, the official WhatsApp for Windows requires Windows 10 or Windows 11.
So, if you are running Windows 7 on your PC, you cannot install the official WhatsApp app. But how do you access WhatsApp on a Windows 7 PC? Following are the two easy ways to access WhatsApp on your Windows 7 PC.
Method 1 of 2
Install WhatsApp as an app using Chrome on Windows 7 PC
A feature in the Google Chrome browser lets you install WhatsApp Web version as an app. Here is how.
Step 1: On your Windows 7 PC, visit the official WhatsApp Web version in the Chrome browser.
If Chrome is not installed, install the same by referring to the directions in our how do I install Google Chrome on Windows 7 computer guide.
Step 2: On your iPhone, go to WhatsApp Settings > Linked devices page, and then click the Link a device button.
On an Android phone, go to menu, click Linked devices, and then click Link a device.
Step 3: Scan the QR code appearing on your Windows 7 PC’s screen to sign in to your WhatsApp account.
Step 4: You should now be able to see your WhatsApp messages in the browser. Next, with the WhatsApp tab open, click the Chrome menu (three vertically stacked dots), click Cast, save and share, and then click Install page as app.
Step 5: When you get the following prompt, click the Install button to install WhatsApp web as an app. That’s it!
From now onwards, you may launch the WhatsApp app using the search or the Start menu.
Method 2 of 2
Access WhatsApp from your Windows 7 PC’s web browser
If you do not want to install WhatsApp as an app, you can still access WhatsApp on your Windows 7 PC using the official WhatsApp Web feature. The feature lets you access your WhatsApp account in a web browser.
Step 1: Visit this page of WhatsApp Web in a web browser of your choice on your Windows 7 PC.
Step 2: You should now see a QR code on the WhatsApp page.
Step 3: If using an iPhone, navigate to WhatsApp Settings (open WhatsApp and then tap Settings) > Linked devices page and then click the Link a device button.
On an Android phone, go to menu, click Linked devices, and then click Link a device.
Step 4: Finally, scan the QR code displayed on the WhatsApp website to sign in to WhatsApp on your Windows 7 PC.
In a few minutes, you should be able to browse all your messages. That’s it!
Uninstall WhatsApp app from Windows 7 PC
Step 1: Open the installed WhatsApp app. Click the menu icon in the toolbar and then click Uninstall WhatsApp Web.
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