Four Phone Apps That Work Better Online
There are plenty of apps out there now in both mobile and web versions – in fact, it’s increasingly rare to find a phone app that you can’t access via your desktop or laptop – and I found myself downloading four apps in particular. browser tabs on my computer more often than I open them on my smartphone.
While there’s still a lot to be said about the mobile versions of these apps (not least the ability to directly take photos and videos), being able to use a larger screen and a suitable keyboard makes a huge difference.
If you’ve never used these apps on Windows or macOS, give them a try—you might be surprised at how many of their features and functionality carry over. These web versions are also easier to switch to while you’re working on something else, so you spend less time unlocking your phone and unnecessary switching between devices.
Go to WhatsApp on the web in your browser and you will be presented with a QR code. You can scan it from your phone by tapping the three dots in the Chats (Android) or Settings (iOS) tab, then Linked Devices and Link Device . Your phone’s camera will open and you can scan the QR code displayed in your browser.
When you have a lot of messages, you can’t beat the keyboard when typing – in just a few minutes I can be involved in all the individual and group chats I’ve been neglecting, and switching between conversations is very easy. You can quickly select multiple chats to mute them or mark them as read or unread, and there’s a filter feature that lets you quickly see all your unread conversations in one place.
You can upload files, photos and videos from your computer, and you can also take photos and videos using your webcam, so the web version of WhatsApp really helps when you need to share something from your computer rather than from your phone – for me It’s most often used when I’m trying to organize something and I need to transfer a lot of documents to a lot of people at the same time.
In fact, there’s not much you can do on the web version of WhatsApp compared to the mobile version, other than the ability to share your location. It’s great for bulk deleting messages or archiving chats, and it also offers a ton of settings covering everything from notifications to group chat access. Keyboard shortcuts are also supported so you can chat on WhatsApp even faster.
Google Messages
Point your browser to Google Messages on the web , and if you’re already signed in to Google, connecting is as simple as choosing the account you want to use and opening Google Messages on your phone to confirm the link. You can also use a QR code to connect, which you can scan by opening the Google Messages mobile app, tapping your avatar (top right), and then selecting Pair Devices .
The Google Messages web app isn’t as full-featured as the WhatsApp app—you can’t select multiple conversations at once or filter messages, for example—but there’s still a lot you can do. Messages can be muted, deleted, and archived in just a few clicks, and starting new chats (or group chats) is just as easy.
One of the best uses I’ve found for Google Messages online is for organizing weekly sporting events, as I can copy and paste the same messages to all participating players without creating another group chat, and no one needs another one. from those. RCS features are also included, including replying to individual messages and reacting with emoji.
You get a decent collection of settings here too: there are dark and high contrast modes you can switch to, as well as a number of notification options in your browser (including message previews) to alert you to new messages. Like WhatsApp, it supports a variety of keyboard shortcuts to make sending text messages even faster.
Instagram debuted on the web back in 2012 , and over the years, almost all the features of the mobile version of the application have been added to it. You can now do most of what you do on Instagram from your desktop or laptop, with the exception of taking photos and recording videos. (What do you mean when you say you don’t use your laptop’s webcam to take vacation photos?)
You place the main feed in the center of the screen (the mouse scroll wheel will help you quickly navigate), you place your stories at the top, and with the links on the left you can access search, explore the page, videos, and your direct messages. You can also create new posts if you have the photos or videos you want stored somewhere on your computer.
Scrolling through stories works especially well online, as you can press the forward and back buttons or click to pause, and even skip forward a few stories to get to friends you’re really interested in. You can reply to stories and add emojis. reactions, just like you can on your phone.
Instagram on the web is also where you can view and manage your own profile: there are tools to edit your profile, view posts you’ve saved and posts you’ve been tagged in, and even change your account settings. If I need to do something on Instagram now, I usually do it online, and you can make the experience even better with browser extensions for Instagram .
Snapchat
Snapchat on the web isn’t as fully featured as its Instagram equivalent, but you can still do a lot, including sending snaps to your contacts through any webcam or other camera connected to your computer. If you’re like me and use Snapchat as an instant messenger, having a keyboard and mouse will really help.
What you can’t—at least not yet—is view snaps sent directly to you. This puts the web interface a step behind the mobile app in terms of functionality, but perhaps this is intentional on Snapchat’s part: you can see new snaps have appeared, but you can’t view them. You can view stories, however, and they’re conveniently located on the right side of the interface next to your chats.
You can send photos and videos directly in conversations, so if you have files you want to share on your computer, the web interface is the place to do it. You can also make video and audio calls to your Snapchat contacts online, which is again handy if you use Snapchat as a communication hub and not just somewhere to sit back and scroll through content.
In other features, you can respond to and initiate requests from friends online; you can set up new group chats (and calls); you can configure browser notifications; and you can choose between light and dark themes—all on a larger monitor screen that’s easier to work with than your phone’s much smaller display.