Meta has begun phasing out the native WhatsApp app for Windows 11 in favor of a WebView-based version that loads the service through Microsoft’s Chromium framework. The update, which is rolling out through the Microsoft Store as version 2.2584.3.0, represents a significant shift in how the popular messaging platform operates on Windows. Instead of the WinUI/UWP build that had been gradually refined over the past few years, WhatsApp for Windows is now essentially a packaged version of web.whatsapp.com, wrapped in WebView2.
This transition brings clear trade-offs. Early testing shows that the new WebView-based WhatsApp consumes substantially more memory than the native client. Even before logging in, RAM usage reportedly hovers around 300MB, accompanied by several background Chromium processes that remain active throughout a session. Once users sign in and begin switching between chats, memory demands can exceed 1GB and may scale further with heavy conversation activity. For users on lower-spec systems or those who keep WhatsApp running continuously, this level of resource consumption may be noticeable in day-to-day performance.
Beyond system load, general responsiveness appears to have declined. Users report slower navigation between conversations, reduced fluidity in animations, and inconsistencies with Windows 11 behaviors such as notifications and Do Not Disturb mode. These differences underline the shift from an app built with native Windows components to one that functions more like a browser tab pinned to the desktop. While the web-based approach allows Meta to streamline development by focusing on a single codebase, it also means sacrificing the deeper integration and efficiency that a platform-specific client can offer.
The timing of the change has raised questions about internal staffing or product restructuring at Meta, though the company has not provided public detail on the reasoning behind the move. Consolidating around a single web experience lowers maintenance costs, but the practical effect for users is a heavier, less seamless client.
Those still using the older native app may hold off on updating for now, but reports suggest that the migration will eventually be mandatory. Users who rely on WhatsApp for long, ongoing conversations or who prefer apps that feel tightly tuned to Windows 11 may want to pay close attention to how this new version evolves, especially as performance and resource usage remain key points of concern for desktop messaging platforms.
