To install WhatsApp on an iPad, download WhatsApp Messenger from the App Store, open it, and link it to the WhatsApp account on your iPhone or Android phone by scanning the iPad’s QR code. You can then use the linked iPad without keeping your phone online, although you still need the primary phone for account registration and linking.
There is now an official iPad app: WhatsApp announced it on May 27, 2025. Older instructions saying you must use a browser or a third-party wrapper are out of date.
What you need before installing
- An iPad with an internet connection and an Apple Account for the App Store.
- A supported iPadOS version. The current WhatsApp Messenger listing requires iPadOS 15.1 or later; check its Compatibility section before downloading because requirements can change.
- Your primary iPhone or Android phone, with your WhatsApp account already set up.
The official app’s developer is WhatsApp Inc. Check the name and developer on the store page, particularly when search results contain similarly named apps.
Download the official WhatsApp iPad app
- Open the App Store on your iPad.
- Search for WhatsApp Messenger, or follow the App Store link from WhatsApp’s iPad download page.
- Open the official listing and check its developer and compatibility.
- Tap Get or the redownload icon. If you see Open, the app is already installed.
- Complete the authentication requested by your iPad. This may involve the top button, Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple Account password.
- When the download finishes, tap Open.
Apple’s app download instructions explain these controls. Our guide to installing apps on iPad also covers finding downloaded apps and reinstalling them.
Link WhatsApp on iPad to your phone
The iPad is a linked device for your existing account. Follow WhatsApp’s official iPad login instructions:
- Open WhatsApp on your iPad and display its linking QR code.
- Open WhatsApp on your primary phone.
- On iPhone, tap Settings or your profile picture, then Linked devices > Link device > OK. On Android, tap the three-dot menu, then Linked devices > Link a device.
- Complete any identity verification requested on your phone. WhatsApp’s device-linking instructions describe biometric or phone-unlock PIN prompts.
- Point the phone’s camera at the QR code shown on the iPad.
- Allow the account and available chats to synchronize, then open a conversation on the iPad.
Use the QR code on your own iPad’s official app. If WhatsApp asks you to confirm an unrecognized device, confirm only the device you are intentionally linking.
Can you use WhatsApp on iPad without a phone?
After linking, your phone does not need to remain online. Each linked device connects independently. This is different from setting up an account without a phone: WhatsApp says an iPad cannot serve as the account’s primary device.
WhatsApp’s linked-device guidance allows up to four linked devices and says linked devices log out if your primary phone is unused for more than 14 days. Keep using WhatsApp on that phone periodically. If you cannot access it to register or link your account, downloading the iPad app alone does not complete setup.
If installation or synchronization does not work
- No compatible download: check the store listing’s iPadOS requirement. A different third-party app is not the official WhatsApp app.
- App Store missing: Apple’s download guide says app-installation restrictions can hide it. Have the person managing those restrictions review them, or search for App Store with Spotlight.
- Linking stops at verification: finish the prompt on your primary phone and scan the code shown by the iPad app.
- Older chats are missing: the iPad help page describes synchronization of up to a year of recent history, with saved history still on the phone. WhatsApp also reports a known issue where some linked devices show less; keep the app updated and check the primary phone for those conversations.
What the iPad app can do
You can message, share files, and make voice or video calls on the larger screen. The launch announcement describes calls with up to 32 people, screen sharing, front and back cameras, and support for Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil. Available multitasking controls depend on your iPad and iPadOS version. To keep a chat next to another app, see how to use two apps side by side on iPad.
Linked devices do not necessarily have every phone feature. For example, the current linked-device help page lists viewing live locations and creating or viewing broadcast lists as unsupported. Use the phone when a required feature is missing.
Disconnect the iPad when needed
To remove the linked iPad from your account, open Linked devices on the primary phone, select that device, and tap Log out. WhatsApp’s unlinking guide also describes logging out through Settings on a linked device.
You can use the official iPad app directly once it is installed and linked. There is no need to install a third-party WhatsApp wrapper to complete this setup.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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