WhatsApp didn’t have a true desktop version until recently – both the Windows and Mac apps just have the web version in one Electron-Shell loaded. That changed last year when Windows got a native version and the native version for macOS in the first beta went. It was originally a closed beta available only to TestFlight participants. Now anyone can with one Mac Install WhatsApp for macOS.
WhatsApp for Macs currently works on macOS Big Sur and can be downloaded from the official website (source link). However, one is immediately warned that this version is still in an early stage of development. Interestingly, the WhatsApp team used Apple’s Mac Catalyst framework. Catalyst makes it easy for developers to create apps that run on both iPadOS and macOS. So far there is no WhatsApp version for that Apple iPad. Instead, the only option here is still to use the web version. Perhaps that will change once the macOS app exits beta.
As with the Windows version, the native Mac app should run faster and more efficiently. So we won’t shed a tear for the old Electron version.