Last week, Facebook-owned WhatsApp released a desktop app version of their popular messaging service for both Windows and Mac users. The WhatsApp desktop app has now also received the functionality to share files, a feature that rolled out to iOS and Android users on the WhatsApp mobile app in March.

The file sharing functionality is rolling out to both the desktop versions of WhatsApp and the web-based version. We look at how you can send documents to your WhatsApp contacts on your desktop.

How to send documents to your WhatsApp contacts on your desktop

If you have not downloaded the desktop app version of WhatsApp, follow the steps below or read our detailed instructions for WhatsApp on your Mac or Windows desktop.  

• Go to WhatsApp’s download center and download Windows or Mac version.
• The desktop app will open and you can scan the QR code with your smartphone.
• WhatsApp will be mirrored on your desktop

Alternatively, if you would prefer the web-based version of WhatsApp, go to https://web.whatsapp.com/ and scan the QR code.

To send a document to a WhatsApp contact on your desktop, click the paperclip icon found in the top right-hand corner. In the drop-down menu, you will see options to share a photo or video, take a photo using the webcam and lastly share a document. Click on Document > select the file you want to share.  

Supported file options include PDFs and Office documents, like PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, etc. Sharing documents on the mobile versions of WhatsApp is limited to 100 MB, so there is likely to be similar limitations on the desktop app and web versions of WhatsApp.

WhatsApp remains the most popular messaging app with over a billion monthly users and rumors are circulating that the messaging service could be getting additional features. Features, unearthed by Phone Radar, include the ability to record voicemails, the ability to send archive files and a ‘call back’ shortcut that will be added to the notification panel.

We will have to wait and see whether these changes will arrive on WhatsApp any time soon.

Image credit: Sierra_Graphic; Pixabay