WhatsApp, long celebrated as one of the best-executed native apps for Windows 11, is undergoing a major architectural shift that has taken many by surprise. After several years invested in WinUI and native platform integration, Meta has now decided to abandon the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) approach in favor of a Chromium-based WebView wrapper for its desktop client. This move, verified by hands-on experiments and confirmed by process-monitoring tools, marks a return to the app’s pre-native roots and raises significant debates about performance, user experience, and the direction of desktop software for Windows.
For users who have watched the evolution of WhatsApp’s desktop presence, the journey has not been a straight line. When Meta launched its full-featured UWP app for Windows 10 and 11, it was widely praised for its clean, responsive interface and deep integration with Windows features—from native notifications to efficient memory use. This commitment, celebrated by Windows leadership and tech media alike, positioned WhatsApp as a model of what native Windows apps could achieve, especially in an era when even Microsoft’s own apps sometimes leaned heavily on web technologies.
But as of this recent pivotal update, WhatsApp’s Windows client is now a Chromium-based desktop container powered by Microsoft’s WebView2—a framework that essentially embeds the Edge browser engine inside apps. Tools such as Task Manager and Process Hacker reveal multiple subprocesses labeled as WebView2, echoing the architecture familiar to anyone who’s ever run Chrome or Edge: GPU, networking, utility helpers, and, inevitably, a larger memory footprint.
WebView2, developed and maintained by Microsoft, is now the standard for web-content rendering in Windows apps that aren’t full browser tabs. It enables rapid cross-platform development: write one set of UI code in HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, and deploy it almost unchanged across different operating systems. For WhatsApp, this means feature parity with web.whatsapp.com and (in the long term) potential reductions in development effort for Meta.
From a user’s perspective, the differences are subtle but unmistakable. The immediate positives include the appearance of new features that sometimes hit web.whatsapp.com before they do the mobile or legacy desktop apps. Because the client now mirrors the web version so closely, web-first rollouts arrive more quickly. The interface, while nearly identical on the surface, betrays its web heritage through slower startup times, more lag as the client loads message histories, and heavier memory use—especially noticeable on lower-end PCs and laptops.
By contrast, the WebView2 version:
Industry critics question whether abandoning native Windows development leaves a vacuum for competitors. As of now, there are no truly equivalent WhatsApp clones on Windows with better performance, but opportunities remain open for ambitious developers.
Nonetheless, Meta has made its choice. There are no signs that a return to a fully native WhatsApp for Windows is in the cards, despite the technical and experiential downsides. If anything, the broader software industry is moving in this direction—and Microsoft, despite championing UWP for years, is largely accommodating the trend.
For WhatsApp’s Windows audience, this may simply mean learning to live with a bulkier, less-polished experience. Nonetheless, it is a loss felt strongest by those who remember what was possible, and what, with sustained investment, Windows apps can still achieve. For now, the hope for a return to high-quality, native-first messaging on Windows is dim—an echo of a time when software aimed for the best, not just the easiest path forward.
Source: windowslatest.com WhatsApp for Windows 11 is switching back to Chromium web wrapper from UWP/native
WhatsApp on Windows: From Native UWP to WebView2
For users who have watched the evolution of WhatsApp’s desktop presence, the journey has not been a straight line. When Meta launched its full-featured UWP app for Windows 10 and 11, it was widely praised for its clean, responsive interface and deep integration with Windows features—from native notifications to efficient memory use. This commitment, celebrated by Windows leadership and tech media alike, positioned WhatsApp as a model of what native Windows apps could achieve, especially in an era when even Microsoft’s own apps sometimes leaned heavily on web technologies.But as of this recent pivotal update, WhatsApp’s Windows client is now a Chromium-based desktop container powered by Microsoft’s WebView2—a framework that essentially embeds the Edge browser engine inside apps. Tools such as Task Manager and Process Hacker reveal multiple subprocesses labeled as WebView2, echoing the architecture familiar to anyone who’s ever run Chrome or Edge: GPU, networking, utility helpers, and, inevitably, a larger memory footprint.
The Technical Details: How WebView2 Changes the WhatsApp App
The shift to WebView2 is more than cosmetic or theoretical—it comes with measurable impacts. According to analyses confirmed by Windows Latest and backed up by side-by-side process monitoring, the new WebView-based WhatsApp uses roughly 30% more RAM compared to its UWP predecessor. This inflation can be traced to the Chromium core itself, which, by design, breaks tasks into multiple processes and loads many background services not required by lighter, platform-native apps.WebView2, developed and maintained by Microsoft, is now the standard for web-content rendering in Windows apps that aren’t full browser tabs. It enables rapid cross-platform development: write one set of UI code in HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, and deploy it almost unchanged across different operating systems. For WhatsApp, this means feature parity with web.whatsapp.com and (in the long term) potential reductions in development effort for Meta.
From a user’s perspective, the differences are subtle but unmistakable. The immediate positives include the appearance of new features that sometimes hit web.whatsapp.com before they do the mobile or legacy desktop apps. Because the client now mirrors the web version so closely, web-first rollouts arrive more quickly. The interface, while nearly identical on the surface, betrays its web heritage through slower startup times, more lag as the client loads message histories, and heavier memory use—especially noticeable on lower-end PCs and laptops.
A Broader Trend: Native Apps on the Decline?
The WhatsApp shift is more than just a single product decision; it’s emblematic of a growing trend across the software industry. As companies chase easier feature updates and leaner codebases, pure native Windows apps are giving way to web-wrapped counterparts. On the surface, this trend delivers advantages:- Consistency: Developers only need to build and update a single codebase.
- Speed of Development: Features can be rolled out on all platforms simultaneously.
- Easier Maintenance: Bugs fixed on the web version are fixed everywhere.
- Performance: WebView-based apps are empirically slower, with longer launch times and greater CPU/RAM consumption.
- Integration: Native features like smooth notifications, reliable call handling, and advanced desktop integrations are hard, if not impossible, to replicate in a web container.
- Offline Support & Reliability: Native apps can offer richer offline capabilities and system-level resilience; web wrappers typically suffer if the connection drops.
Evaluating the Decision: Who Wins and Who Loses?
The Case for WebView: Why Meta Made the Change
Meta’s official stance, corroborated by their own support documentation, is that streamlining development is crucial as platforms proliferate. By consolidating to a single web-based core (spun into desktop, Mac, and browser targets), Meta:- Reduces engineering overhead for adding or revising features.
- Provides a uniform user experience across all supported devices.
- Can move away from the niche expertise and slower iteration cycles that come with deep platform-specific (WinUI/UWP) development.
The Cost to Users: Where WebView Falls Short
The real-world impact on users should not be understated. Native WhatsApp not only provided a first-class Windows 11 experience but often outpaced even the iOS and Android clients in introducing new features. Its native notification system, integration with Windows Hello for authentication, and smooth window management were all cited in reviews and social media posts as model implementations.By contrast, the WebView2 version:
- Consumes more than 30% more RAM by independent process analysis.
- Has notably slower cold starts (app launches from rest) and increased interface latency.
- Delivers notifications and desktop features that are, at best, merely “good enough” rather than best-in-class.
The Industry Perspective: Are Native Apps Still Relevant?
Meta’s decision provides a case study for the entire desktop software landscape. Microsoft itself has a mixed record: many “modern” Windows apps have hybrid architectures, mixing native code with WebView or Electron. Yet the best-received apps in recent years—such as Paint, Calculator, and the File Explorer redesign—retain heavy native integration, offering performance and UX that web wrappers have yet to replicate.Industry critics question whether abandoning native Windows development leaves a vacuum for competitors. As of now, there are no truly equivalent WhatsApp clones on Windows with better performance, but opportunities remain open for ambitious developers.
A Comparative Table: UWP vs WebView2 WhatsApp Features
| Feature | UWP/WinUI Native WhatsApp | WebView2 Chromium WhatsApp |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Memory Usage | Low (1 process) | 30%+ higher (multi-proc) |
| Startup Time | Fast | Noticeably slower |
| Notifications | Integrated, reliable | Web-style, sometimes laggy |
| Video/Audio Calls | High quality, stable | WebRTC dependent, variable |
| Feature Parity w/ Mobile | Occasionally leads | Matches web.whatsapp.com |
| Resource Consumption | Efficient | Heavy (chromium overhead) |
| Offline Capability | Partial, robust | Limited |
| Desktop Integrations | Full (drag, Windows Hello) | Minimal |
| Update Speed | Slightly behind web | Matches web rollouts |
| OS Integration | Deep (Jump Lists, etc.) | Superficial |
What Users Can Do: Coping with the New WhatsApp
For most users, the change will manifest as a series of small irritations: slower app launches, heavier background resource consumption, and notifications that don’t feel as instantaneous or as integrated with Windows’ own controls. For power users, this could mean searching for lighter open-source alternatives or, for the technically inclined, using web.whatsapp.com directly in a browser and bypassing the unnecessary desktop wrapper entirely.Nonetheless, Meta has made its choice. There are no signs that a return to a fully native WhatsApp for Windows is in the cards, despite the technical and experiential downsides. If anything, the broader software industry is moving in this direction—and Microsoft, despite championing UWP for years, is largely accommodating the trend.
Critical Analysis: Strengths, Risks, and What It Means for Windows Users
The Upsides
- Faster Feature Rollouts: With a shared codebase, users can expect new stickers, chat features, and group management tools to hit desktop clients without the historic lag.
- Uniformity Across Devices: The user interface and feature set are consistent from browser to desktop to mobile.
- Low Maintenance for Meta: Engineering teams can focus on one codebase, channeling resources to innovation rather than platform maintenance.
The Downsides
- Measurable Performance Hits: The 30% increase in RAM is not theoretical—it shows up in everyday usage and compounds for users with limited hardware.
- Reduced Native Experience: Windows features like Jump Lists, advanced notifications, and offline reliability are watered down or missing.
- A Step Back for Power Users: The UWP version was not just a wrapper—it was a best-in-class app for the Windows platform and is now gone.
Potential Long-term Risks
- User Frustration and Attrition: If performance and integration issues continue, users—especially on low-spec devices—may abandon the desktop app.
- Generic Software Experience: As every major app migrates to web wrappers, desktop computing risks becoming indistinguishable from browser tab usage, losing platform-specific richness.
- Security Questions: While Chromium is robust, every web wrapper multiplies the attack surface and update cadence, potentially exposing new vulnerabilities.
The Bottom Line: What’s Lost When “Good Enough” Wins
For a trillion-dollar company, walking away from a premium native experience on one of tech’s most vibrant platforms is telling. Meta’s prioritization of development speed and uniform feature deployment may make bottom-line sense, but it sacrifices the snappy, tailored experiences that set great Windows apps apart. The widespread industry move toward “web everywhere” will only accelerate as companies eye cost savings—regardless of whom it leaves behind.For WhatsApp’s Windows audience, this may simply mean learning to live with a bulkier, less-polished experience. Nonetheless, it is a loss felt strongest by those who remember what was possible, and what, with sustained investment, Windows apps can still achieve. For now, the hope for a return to high-quality, native-first messaging on Windows is dim—an echo of a time when software aimed for the best, not just the easiest path forward.
Source: windowslatest.com WhatsApp for Windows 11 is switching back to Chromium web wrapper from UWP/native
