Meta Replaces WhatsApp’s Native Windows App with a Heavier Web Wrapper, and Users Aren’t Happy About It

If you’ve recently updated WhatsApp on your Windows machine and thought, “Why does this feel slower?”, you’re not alone. Meta has officially retired the native Windows app and replaced it with a WebView2-based wrapper. And no, this isn’t one of those quiet background tweaks that improves things behind the scenes. It’s the kind of change you actually feel… and not in a good way.

So, What Changed?

Previously, WhatsApp’s Windows app was a proper native UWP (Universal Windows Platform) application, fast, lightweight, and tightly integrated with Windows 10 and 11. Notifications worked reliably. The interface looked and felt “at home” in the OS. It was so good, in fact, that Microsoft once spotlighted it as a shining example of modern Windows design.

That’s gone now.

In its place is a Chromium-powered shell, built using Microsoft’s WebView2 technology. It’s essentially a glorified web app running in a desktop wrapper. And while that might sound like a minor backend swap, it dramatically changes how the app performs.

More RAM, Less Charm

Users across forums and tech blogs have been quick to call out the noticeable drop in performance. The new app guzzles RAM, some users report it easily surpasses 1 GB during moderate use. That’s a big jump from the lean native version, especially for people on older or lower-powered laptops.

And it’s not just memory. The UI feels less responsive, scrolling and typing lag slightly, and voice/video calls, previously buttery smooth, now sometimes stutter or fail to connect altogether. Notifications? Less reliable. The transition from polished app to a web-heavy clone has left many wondering why Meta made this move in the first place.

Why Did Meta Do This?

It boils down to one thing: development efficiency.

Maintaining a native app for Windows (and another for macOS) is time-consuming and expensive. By shifting to a WebView2-based approach, Meta can deploy one web-based interface across all desktop platforms. That means faster feature rollouts, like Communities, Channels, and new Status tools, without worrying about OS-specific quirks.

From Meta’s point of view, it’s a logical move. But from the user’s chair? It’s a step backward.

The Trade-Offs Feel One-Sided

To be fair, the web-based version does come with some perks:

• Feature parity with WhatsApp Web and mobile
• Faster updates, since there’s only one platform to maintain
• Support for newer tools like WhatsApp Channels and improved group management

But these perks are overshadowed by the user experience hit. Native app fans miss the speed, integration, and simplicity. Losing things like taskbar jump lists, integrated notifications, and smooth call handling is a blow.

The Reaction So Far

Reddit threads are filled with frustrated posts. Tech-savvy users are calling it a “lazy downgrade.” Some are even uninstalling the app in favor of simply using WhatsApp in their browser tabs, because, let’s face it, that experience is practically the same now, but with fewer background processes running.

Others are holding on to the older native version for as long as possible, though Meta will likely phase that out entirely soon. Unfortunately, thanks to WhatsApp’s closed ecosystem, third-party desktop alternatives are few and far between.

Where Do We Go From Here?

If you value resource efficiency and tight OS integration, this change is frustrating. But unless Meta has a surprise pivot in mind, it looks like this is the new normal for WhatsApp on Windows.

For now, your options are:

• Stick with the new app and hope for performance improvements
• Use WhatsApp Web in your browser for a slightly lighter experience
• Keep an eye on updates, or quietly wish for a native comeback

But let’s be honest: the native WhatsApp app was one of those rare cases where a modern Windows app just worked. It’s a shame to see it traded away for convenience.