WhatsApp Web makes answering your messages a lot easier. So it can be frustrating when it stops working; therefore, you want to know what to do when WhatsApp Web doesn’t work. The good news is that there are different tips you can try to get it working again and not have to pick up your phone to answer any messages. Keep reading to see how you can get WhatsApp Web working again.
What to Do When WhatsApp Web Doesn’t Work on Windows 11
Let’s start with the primary fixes, like checking to see if you have an Internet connection. Are you able to go online using other devices? You can use the Network troubleshooter in settings to get things working again. Press the Windows + I keys to open settings and go to System > Troubleshooters > Other troubleshooters. Look for the Network and Internet option and click on the Run button.
You can also check whether WhatsApp is down by visiting Down Detector. If it’s down, then there is not much you can do but wait until they fix the issue.
If you’re already logged into your WhatsApp Web account and are experiencing issues, you can try logging out and back in. You can do this by opening WhatsApp on your Android device and tapping the three dots at the top right. Tap on Linked Devices, and under Device Status, tap on the session you currently have going on. Tap on the red Log out text to end the session. Repeat the steps, but this will you’ll be logging back in. When you log back in, you must scan a QR code, and your chats will be loaded.
With these same steps, you can check to see if you have the maximum number of allowed devices which is five for WhatsApp. If you’re trying to connect more than the permitted devices, now you know why it’s not working.
Try Resetting/Repairing WhatsApp
There is another troubleshooting feature sitting in your computer’s settings that could help get WhatsApp working again. To use it, open settings by pressing the Windows and I keys. When settings open, go to Apps > Installed Apps > WhatsApp > Three dots > Advanced options and scroll down until you see the Reset and Repair buttons.
Clear the WhatsApp Cache
When the cache for an app builds up, it can cause different issues when you’re using an app such as WhatsApp on your preferred browser. To erase the WhatsApp cache for Chrome, you’ll need to click on the dots at the top right and go to Settings > Privacy and Security> Cookies and other site data. Look for WhatsApp and click on it. From the available options, click on WhatsApp Web, followed by the Clear Data button at the top.
Try Using Incognito Mode for Your Browser
Did you install any extensions lately? Maybe one of them is poorly configured, and that’s why WhatsApp Web is giving your problems. If you’re using Chrome, you can open an incognito window by clicking on the three dots at the top right and choosing the New Incognito Window option.
In Opera, it’s called Private Mode, and you can open a new private window by clicking on the red O and choosing the New Private Windows option.
In Firefox, it’s called a Private Window, and you can open one by clicking on the three-lined menu and the New Private Window option.
Update Your Browser
For Chrome and Opera, you can update the browsers by clicking on the three dots at the top right and choosing Help (Chrome). Choose About Chrome, and the browser will start to look for updates. For Opera, click on the red O and choose Help> About Opera. For Firefox, click on the three-lined menu and click Help > About Firefox.
You never know what kind of bug your browser might have, and there is a pending update with the fix.
Further Reading
If the specific problem you’re having is that the QR code is not scanning, here are some tips for you to try. Are you not getting your WhatsApp notifications? If that’s your case, here are various tips to try to fix it. But if there is a specific topic you need help on, you always have the search bar at the top.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why WhatsApp Web can stop working. Good thing that there are multiple methods you can try to fix it. It’s always best to start with the most basic fixes and move on from there. If one doesn’t work, you can always try the next until it starts working so that way, you don’t have to pick up your phone to answer your messages. What issues are you experiencing with WhatsApp Web? Let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to share the article with others on social media.
OK
In my case, when I was trying to link my new phone to the latest WhatsApp desktop version on my Win10 Pro laptop, the app would not load the barcode for me to scan. It was stuck in loading mode. Reinstalling and trying to install an older version of WhatsApp Windows which by the way automatically tries to download and install the latest version, was ending up unsuccessful. What helped me to fix my problem was to adjust the compatibility settings where I had to enable the “Run this program as an administrator” option. This suggestion is nowhere to be found, hence I decided to tag in and post it here as this post is from May 2022.