# WhatsApp Web

WhatsApp Web is the official browser client that mirrors a WhatsApp account on a computer, so users can read and send messages with a desktop keyboard.

Source: https://getkanal.com/whatsapp-marketing-glossary/whatsapp-web  
Last updated: 2026-10-08

Pairing takes a QR code scan from the phone, or the phone number. Linked devices then work without the phone being online, although they are logged out if the phone stays unused for more than 14 days. The desktop apps for Windows and macOS follow the same model.

For a small business on the WhatsApp Business App, WhatsApp Web is often the daily driver: faster typing, easy copy-paste of order details, and quick replies available from the keyboard.

Its limits appear with team scale: one account, up to four linked devices at a time, no assignment, notes, or analytics, and no way to know who answered what. Support teams that outgrow it move to an API-based shared inbox.

## Go deeper: articles

- [WhatsApp Business Web: Login, QR Code & Desktop App (2026)](https://getkanal.com/blog/whatsapp-business-web-desktop-guide): Open WhatsApp Business Web in 30 seconds: QR code login from Chrome or any browser, fix a stuck QR code, link up to 4 devices, and get the Windows or Mac desktop app.
- [WhatsApp Web Not Working: 12 Solutions to Fix It (2026)](https://getkanal.com/blog/whatsapp-web-not-working-fixes): WhatsApp Web not working? Open web.whatsapp.com, then try 12 fixes for loading, QR code and sync problems, supported browsers, and networks that block it.
- [WhatsApp Business App vs API: Which One for Your Store?](https://getkanal.com/blog/whatsapp-business-app-vs-api-comparison): WhatsApp Business app vs API for online stores: costs per message, linked devices, broadcasts, automation, keeping your number and when to switch.

## Related terms

- [Coexistence](https://getkanal.com/whatsapp-marketing-glossary/coexistence)
- [Customer service window (24-hour window)](https://getkanal.com/whatsapp-marketing-glossary/customer-service-window)