WhatsApp Desktop Linux

🚀 Native WhatsApp Web desktop application for Linux with system tray, notifications, keyboard shortcuts, and AppImage distribution. Built with Electron.

✨ Features

• 🌐 WhatsApp Web Integration - Full WhatsApp Web functionality in a native app
• 🚫 Sandbox-Free - No more --no-sandbox flags required
• 🔔 System Notifications - Desktop notifications for new messages
• 🎛️ System Tray - Minimize to tray, quick access menu
• ⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts - Navigate conversations with ease
• 🔄 Auto-Updates - Automatic update checking and notifications
• 📦 AppImage - Single-file distribution, no installation needed
• 🔒 Modern Security - Latest Electron with proper security policies

🎹 Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+Tab	Switch to next conversation
Ctrl+Shift+Tab	Switch to previous conversation
Ctrl+M	Mute/unmute current chat

📥 Download & Installation

Method 1: Download AppImage (Recommended)

1. Go to Releases
2. Download the latest WhatsApp Web-X.X.X.AppImage
3. Make it executable: chmod +x WhatsApp\ Web-*.AppImage
4. Run it: ./WhatsApp\ Web-*.AppImage

Method 2: Build from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/codeXpedite/whatsapp-desktop-linux.git
cd whatsapp-desktop-linux

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build AppImage
npm run build-linux

# AppImage will be created in dist/ folder

🚀 Usage

First Run

1. Launch the application
2. Scan QR code with your phone's WhatsApp
3. Start chatting!

System Tray

• Left-click tray icon: Show/hide window
• Right-click tray icon: Context menu with options
• Close button: Minimizes to tray (doesn't quit)

Notifications

• Automatic desktop notifications for unread messages
• Only shows when app is not focused
• Respects system notification settings

🛠️ Development

Prerequisites

• Node.js 16+
• npm or yarn

Setup

git clone https://github.com/codeXpedite/whatsapp-desktop-linux.git
cd whatsapp-desktop-linux
npm install

Scripts

npm start              # Run in development mode
npm run build         # Build for current platform
npm run build-linux   # Build AppImage for Linux

Project Structure

whatsapp-desktop-linux/
├── main.js              # Main Electron process
├── preload.js           # Preload script
├── package.json         # Project configuration
├── assets/              # Application icons
├── scripts/             # Build scripts
└── dist/                # Built AppImages

🔧 Configuration

Auto-Updates

Auto-updates are enabled by default. The app checks for updates on startup and notifies you when updates are available.

To configure updates, modify the publish section in package.json:

{
  "publish": {
    "provider": "github",
    "owner": "codeXpedite",
    "repo": "whatsapp-desktop-linux"
  }
}

Custom Settings

The app stores settings in standard locations:

• Linux: ~/.config/whatsapp-web-wrapper/

❓ Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Q: App won't start / Sandbox errors A: This has been fixed! The app automatically handles sandbox issues.

Q: Notifications not working A: Check your system notification permissions and ensure the app has notification access.

Q: Keyboard shortcuts not working
A: Make sure the WhatsApp window has focus when using shortcuts.

Q: System tray not visible A: Ensure your desktop environment supports system tray icons.

Debug Mode

Run with environment variable for debugging:

DEBUG=1 ./WhatsApp\ Web-*.AppImage

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Development Guidelines

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This is an unofficial WhatsApp client. WhatsApp is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc. This project is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta Platforms, Inc.

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Built with Electron
• Inspired by various WhatsApp desktop clients
• Community feedback and contributions

📞 Support

• 🐛 Bug Reports: Create an issue
• 💡 Feature Requests: Create an issue
• 💬 Discussions: GitHub Discussions

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Made with ❤️ for the Linux community