Because nowadays, one of the first steps we take when getting a new smartphone is to install WhatsApp. That’s how it is: it is one of the most successful apps worldwide thanks to its philosophy of free and secure messaging over the internet.
Now, if you don’t know where to start, here we explain step by step how you should download and install WhatsApp on your phone, whether it’s an iPhone or runs on Android (Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, etc.).
Download WhatsApp on any iPhone (Apple)
iPhones use the iOS operating system, so the process of downloading WhatsApp on an iPhone is different from other devices. In this case, you can follow the steps we illustrate below to download WhatsApp on iPhone, whatever your model, since on all of them we will download the app from the App Store.
- First, find the App Store icon on your iPhone and tap it.
- When you enter the App Store, look at the bottom icons and press Search.
- There you will see a search bar where you should enter “WhatsApp“.
You will probably see some suggestions as you type the name of the app. - When you tap the name WhatsApp in the suggestions, you’ll see the popular messaging app in the results list (careful not to confuse it with its business version: WhatsApp Business).
- Simply tap Get to begin downloading it to your iPhone.
After a few moments, the app will already be downloaded on your iPhone and you will be able to find it somewhere on your home screen.
The app will likely be waiting on the last of your iPhone home screens, but you can relocate it to the position you prefer by holding its icon and moving it across the screen.
Install WhatsApp on any iPhone
Once you download WhatsApp to your iPhone, you only need to follow a few steps to install the popular messaging app.
- Tap the WhatsApp icon to open the app and start the launch process. A welcome screen will greet you as soon as you open the app, where you can review the Terms and Conditions and tap Agree & Continue to proceed.
- Now you will be asked for the phone number; since WhatsApp is linked to your number, this step is essential to fill out correctly. Once ready, tap Next.
- When you enter the number, the app will ask you to confirm it to make sure you’ve typed it correctly.
- In the next step, WhatsApp will send you a one-time security code via SMS, which you must enter in the field available on your phone screen. Be careful not to share this code with anyone. It is likely the code will be auto-detected and filled in when you receive the SMS, so this step is usually completed automatically.
- At the same time, your iPhone may show a pop-up asking you to allow WhatsApp notification permission; accept it so WhatsApp can notify you whenever someone sends you a message.
- When you have confirmed your phone number, if you had previously used WhatsApp and had two-step verification enabled, the app will ask you to enter the PIN you set up. If not, this screen will not appear.
- Similarly, if you had used WhatsApp before and it detects that you have a backup of your chats, it will give you the option to restore it. If not, this will not appear either.
- And now, finally, it will only ask you to enter your name and a profile photo (if you did not have one set previously). Tap OK in the top right corner to confirm your changes.
- As before, it is very likely WhatsApp will request access to your contacts to show you which acquaintances are also app users.
And now, you’re done installing WhatsApp on your iPhone.
If you restored a backup of your chats, it will take a while for your chats to be ready (depending on their size).
Download WhatsApp for Android phones (Xiaomi, Samsung, Oppo, Realme, Vivo, Lenovo, Motorola, Wiko, Sony, Pixel and more)
Android, Google’s operating system, allows you to download WhatsApp on multiple brands such as Xiaomi and Samsung, although the process may vary slightly. However, they all use Android as a base, so you can follow the steps below to download WhatsApp on your Android phone.
- First, find the Google Play icon among your installed apps.
- Inside Google Play, access the search bar at the top and enter “WhatsApp”.
- When you type “WhatsApp” suggestions will appear, so you can autocomplete the search before typing the full name.
- Among the results, the first is likely the official WhatsApp app. Tap the Install icon to download WhatsApp on your Android.
- After a few seconds, you will have WhatsApp installed on your Android device and you can find it with your other apps.
- All that’s left is to tap the WhatsApp icon to launch it and complete the installation process where you will register your phone number.
Install WhatsApp on Android phones
When installing WhatsApp on Android phones, you must open the app to register your phone number or sign in if you used the service before. This process is very simple and shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.
- Open the WhatsApp application on your smartphone and it will welcome you, where you will have to tap Agree & Continue.
- Now you will have to enter your phone number to link it to WhatsApp. Make sure it is entered correctly before tapping Next.
- WhatsApp will ask you to confirm that this is your number before sending you a security SMS. If it’s correct, tap OK.
- In a matter of seconds you should receive an SMS with a code you must enter on the next WhatsApp screen; in most cases the app itself detects the SMS code and auto-fills it without you having to do anything.
- If you were previously a WhatsApp user and had two-step verification enabled, the app will ask you to enter the PIN/password you set when activating that security system.
- Next, you can change your name and profile picture before activating WhatsApp.
Finally, you will have finished installing WhatsApp on Android.
If you have a backup from a previous WhatsApp use, your conversations and contacts will be restored.
Download WhatsApp for Huawei
Since Huawei devices no longer have (by default) access to Google services, users of the Chinese brand can opt to install them externally to access Google Play and install WhatsApp following the same steps as any other Android device, or do it through Huawei’s own store, that is, AppGallery.
- So, find the AppGallery on your Huawei phone or tablet to access the apps you can install.
- Once inside, go to the top search bar and enter “WhatsApp” and tap Get when the app appears in the results list.
- When you tap Get, it will redirect you to WhatsApp’s official website where you can download the app to install it manually. Tap Download now to proceed with downloading WhatsApp on your Huawei.
- When the download begins, tap the notification that appears to see how the file download progresses. You will see that WhatsApp.apk is being downloaded, that is, the app installation file.
This is the type of file used on Android to install apps from outside Google Play. Since Huawei devices don’t have access to Google’s store, it has to be done this way. But don’t worry, all WhatsApp functions will remain exactly the same.
Install WhatsApp on Huawei
As we said before, on Huawei devices without access to Google Play, the only reliable way to install WhatsApp is through its official .apk file available on the messaging company’s website.
Once you have downloaded the WhatsApp .apk on your Huawei, tap Open and a screen will appear where you must give it permission to install WhatsApp manually on the device.
Finally and after all these steps, you will have finished installing WhatsApp on your Huawei.
You will find the WhatsApp app alongside your other applications on your Huawei device.
Download WhatsApp for Android Tablet
If you have a tablet, you can install WhatsApp for Android tablets and use it together with your smartphone simply and quickly. Although a few years ago it was not possible to download WhatsApp on Android tablets, the company finally released a version of the app for tablets. However, it should be noted that WhatsApp cannot be used independently on a tablet; it must be linked to the main app installed on your phone.
If you have a tablet, you can install WhatsApp for Android tablets and use it together with your smartphone simply and quickly.
To download WhatsApp on an Android tablet you can follow these steps:
- Find Google Play on your tablet and open it.
- Inside Google Play, go to the Apps section and tap the search bar.
- In the search bar, type “WhatsApp“; it’s likely that as you type, app suggestions will appear in the dropdown. Choose WhatsApp Messenger and tap Install.
The process to download WhatsApp on your Android tablet will begin and after a few seconds, it will be installed. You can find it in your app list or on the main screens among other apps.
Tap the WhatsApp icon to open the app and start signing in.
Install WhatsApp on Android Tablet
Once you have downloaded WhatsApp on your tablet, tap the WhatsApp icon to open it.
- A welcome screen will appear where you can select the language of the app; by default, it will auto-detect your tablet’s language and set it accordingly.
- After this screen, you will see the Terms and Conditions, which you must accept to use WhatsApp on the tablet.
- Finally, a QR code will be shown that you must scan from the WhatsApp app on your smartphone to sign in automatically on your tablet.
As mentioned before, you cannot use WhatsApp independently on an Android tablet; it can only be used as a linked (and synchronized) additional device with your phone.
Download WhatsApp for iPad
Unfortunately, you cannot download WhatsApp for iPad as such, since there is no dedicated app for the popular instant messaging platform. However, you can use WhatsApp on iPad without downloading or installing anything.
Basically, you can use your usual browser (Safari, Google Chrome, etc…) and from there access WhatsApp Web.
It’s not as convenient as having a native app, but it can work for occasional use.
Install WhatsApp on iPad
As mentioned, there is currently no WhatsApp app you can install on your iPad, so we have to make do with the web version.
That said, you can always create a shortcut from the Safari browser to have the WhatsApp icon on your iPad’s home screen and open WhatsApp Web each time you tap it. It’s the closest experience to installing WhatsApp on iPad that we can enjoy for now.
Download WhatsApp for Mac
If you prefer to use WhatsApp on your computer, you can also chat with the comfort provided by your Apple keyboard. WhatsApp is available for Mac and syncs with the WhatsApp you have on your phone, so the conversations you have on any of your devices will be reflected wherever you sign in.
- To download WhatsApp on Mac simply open the App Store.
- Once in the Mac App Store, enter “WhatsApp” in the search bar.
- Then just click Get (instead of Get, you’ll see a cloud icon if you previously downloaded WhatsApp on Mac) on the WhatsApp app page.
The app will install automatically on your Mac and you’ll have it available once it finishes downloading.
Alternatively, you can also use WhatsApp Web from a browser such as Safari, Chrome, or your usual browser.
Install WhatsApp on Mac
After downloading WhatsApp on Mac, you can open the app like any other installed application. When you run it for the first time, follow the on-screen steps to sign in with your account:
- Tap Get Started to continue with the installation process.
- Scan the QR code that appears on the screen with the WhatsApp app on your phone.
- In a few seconds your chats will load in WhatsApp for Mac.
This way, you can chat both from your Mac and your phone interchangeably, with your conversations syncing automatically between devices.
Download WhatsApp for PC (Windows)
You can also use WhatsApp from your computer, syncing it with your smartphone to continue conversations from your PC screen. Although it can be used via the web, it is often recommended to use the installable version of WhatsApp for Windows, since the experience has improved over the years compared to WhatsApp Web.
To download WhatsApp on Windows just follow these quick steps:
- Go to WhatsApp’s official website and click the Download button you will see in the top corner.
- After clicking the button, a window will likely pop up asking where the app installation file should be downloaded. Save it in the folder you want and open it to access that file.
- Double-click the WhatsApp Installer.exe file to begin installing WhatsApp on the computer.
Install WhatsApp for PC (Windows)
When you double-click the installer, a window will open where the installation assistant will download the files needed to install WhatsApp. This will be done automatically; you don’t have to do anything.
After a few minutes, WhatsApp will be installed and the welcome window will open, where you’ll have to tap Continue to sign in.
Then a QR code will be shown that you must scan from the WhatsApp app on your phone. Keep in mind that the desktop version of WhatsApp can only be used linked to a mobile phone, not independently.
On your smartphone, open WhatsApp and tap Settings > Linked Devices > Link a Device and scan the QR code displayed on your computer screen.
When you scan the QR, WhatsApp for desktop will begin loading your conversations, a process that will take more or less time depending on how many messages you have on your smartphone.
In any case, it won’t take long for all your chats to appear on the screen.
Now you just have to continue your conversations from the computer, which will continue syncing with the other devices where you use WhatsApp.
We hope that with this complete guide you have been able to download and install WhatsApp on whichever device you use!
