A new update to WhatsApp Beta on Windows 11 replaces the native desktop app with a heavier Microsoft WebView2-based wrapper. This brings the experience more in line with WhatsApp Web, abandoning many of the performance enhancements that are part of the native UWP (Universal Windows Platform) experience.
As spotted by Windows Latest, while the UI is nearly identical to the native app, there are several key differences, including slower performance. The new wrapper WebView2 by Microsoft is used in Microsoft Edge and is based on the open-source Chromium project.
The new version of WhatsApp Beta appears to be just a desktop container that runs on web code and is rendered in a web page similar to Edge. The disadvantage to this is that the native version was lightweight and relied on only one process. The newer web-based version runs several in the background.
In tests, Windows Latest found that the WebView2 version uses 30% more RAM compared to the native app. The native version was also more reliable, along with better notifications and a smoother user interface. It also handled calls and screen sharing much better.
While there is no official word on why the switch took place, running WebView2 makes it easier for Meta to maintain a single code base for all versions of the app. The drawback is that WhatsApp looks worse than before and is more of a system hog.
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