3 mo. ago • 96%

How to use Whatsapp Video Call on Linux?

How can I use Whatsapp video call on Linux?

I tried Whatsapp-for-Linux and Whatsie but they didn't work.

66 comments

You cant

There is no official whatsapp app for Linux and all of the apps on the store rely on whatsapp web

37
- not even with wine?🍷
  
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  Actually I never tried with Wine... It may be an alternative
  
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  Last time I tried it (few months ago), it was booked :(
  
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could Waydroid be used for this?

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- Waydroid has no camera passthrough. The only person willing to do that kinda vanished in Oct 2023.
  
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- You can't send your video, receiving video and sending/receiving audio work.
  
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Video calls are not supported under Linux afaik, since they don't enable it for the web version.

16
- I wonder if they're supported on Windows with Chrome..? Maybe this is a case of simply replacing the UA string?
  
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I'm guessing all the people suggesting to ditch WhatsApp have never been to Brazil. Everything there is done with it, you can buy groceries, medicine, do banking, get services, take out, etc... Getting the whole country to change will never happen. So, yes, while some of us do install Signal, none will ever uninstall WhatsApp...

14
- What if Meta collapses and goes into bankruptcy?
  
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  We're seeing the fallout from a commercial service used for public interest communication falling in real time with Twitter, so many public service things that depended or still depend on Twitter have outright broke as it turns into raw sewage and people flee it. That should have NEVER been the main communications medium, and now the price is being paid. I understand as i too am in a place where WhatsApp is near-mandatory, but this is something that WILL have bad consequences sooner or later.
  
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  Then people will have a reason to change other than just for privacy concerns...
  
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  People will switch to the russian whatsapp. Telegram. Nothing will change.
  
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- Pretty much the same in Mexico
  
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- The UK isn't quite that far, but it's absolutely the dominant text messaging and calling app in the UK. Nobody uses the built in Android or Apple tools anymore, and I'm as likely to receive a WhatsApp voice call as an actual phone call these days.
  
  I have Signal on my phone, but I've literally never had a cause to use it; I've simply got no contacts on there.
  
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- Yup, WhatsApp is basically the Brazilian WeChat. If I uninstall WhatsApp I basically lose contact with my mom and a bunch of other people since I live in Canada.
  
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  my mom and a bunch of other people
  
  People who aren't very close to you are one thing, but wouldn't your mom of all people be wiling to install Signal or your preferred alternative?
  
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- They must be proud of Elixir.
  
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Using an Android emulator like Waydroid or compatibility layer like Anbox you might be able to use the Android version on Linux and pick up calls from there?

I have good experiences with Waydroid, but no experience with WhatsApp so I can't guarantee it will work, it's just a suggestion that I hope will help

9
- Waydroid has no camera passthrough
  
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- I've had really good experience with Genymotion android emulation on Linux, even on underpowered devices. Might work well to do video calls
  
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- Interesting
  
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- BlissOS is a continued version of Androidx86
  
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You can use jitsi both on mobile and desktop and it is platform agnostic, privacy respecting and FOSS. Just dont use whatsapp (video) at all.

5
- Thank you, I like Jitsi but it is not always under my control. My supervisor sometimes calls me on Whatsapp and there is nothing I can do.
  
  11
  
  My supervisor was an FOSS guy. He used Linux, Libreoffice everything but he still insisted on whatsapp for informal communication. I guess network effects is hard to avoid.
  
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  You could mirror your android phone using scrcpy but I never used it.
  
  There is a Qt version for it on Linux
  
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For me the web version just says "my browser is not supported" even tho am on firefox

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- This doesn't help when everyone else doesn't "Don't"
  
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  It helps having friends who actually respect you.
  
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- And how many peoples' friends and family are on Signal vs WhatsApp? The whole point of these apps is socializing with people you know, so can you not see how useless of a suggestion it is to recommend Signal? And please don't get into the "just convince everyone to use Signal' argument because it's completely unrealistic.
  
  Signal did itself no favors when it made the bone-headed move of removing SMS support in a delusional attempt at pushing users away from SMS and towards Signal's encrypted chat. All it did was result in a bunch of people uninstalling the app because it became annoying to use it just for Signal instead of Signal and SMS, which at least gave rise to a SMS user's eventual shift away from SMS. But we don't talk about that because open source is always good 😇
  
  It's like saying modern clubs suck, so I'm going to invest my own club that the vast majority of people won't attend and those that do are almost all white dudes with the same generic "I'm not like other users" personality.
  
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  I already did but this guy ain't looking for a solution. Next bro's gonna call me a white guy.
  
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- this is the way
  
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- I know nobody who uses signal 💀
  
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  Using WhatsApp won't fix it.
  
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  -9
Use Google Meet instead

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@sandayle Don't use WutzÄbb, Period

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- Ah yes, the obligatory "lol just don't use $thing" response. Helps nobody, but I guess it lets you feel superior.
  
  I hate Facebook as much as anyone, but in the real world people don't always have the luxury of getting to use whatever you consider morally correct. Especially with a messenger – depending on where you are, Whatsapp might just be what most people are using, and the people are the reason you would use a messenger in the first place.
  
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- I hate Whatsapp. I didn't use it for three years, but I have to use it for the last two years due to my work.
  
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  @sandayle I'm really sorry about that and you have my fullest condolences. Nobody should be forced to use non-free software
  
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- People who say this in response to a request for help should just be perma-banned. Just get rid of them flat out. It’s the sure sign that someone is a total buffoon and will only ever make the place worse.
  
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  I think there's value in pushback against popular but problematic software. Some people just don't realize that, for example, WhatsApp is owned entirely by Meta and is known to collaborate with law enforcement, which are two facts that entirely undermine its main selling point.
  
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- Yeah, because he is using it for fun. You are totally right :)
  
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