More apps than you might have realized are available on the web as well as on your phone, syncing with your handset to give you access to all the same data, files and conversations through any web browser you like.
There are all kinds of ways this can be helpful. For a start, it means you’ve got much more screen real estate to work with—content is stretched out across your desktop monitor rather than being confined to the dimensions of a smartphone screen.
Access to a keyboard and mouse is important too. It means you can power through incoming messages much faster than you’re able to on your phone, so you need never get behind on a group chat again.
Opening up these apps on the web also means you don’t have to keep reaching for your phone every time a new notification appears: You can just deal with whatever has happened from your desktop or laptop computer.
If you find those benefits appealing, here are some of the most well-known apps with little-known web versions (we won’t cover the apps that are obviously available on the web and on mobile, like Gmail and Twitter).
There’s no need to hunch over your phone to power through your WhatsApp messages and group chats, because you can get them up in your web browser too—as long as you have your phone to hand to set this up. You get the benefit of more space to see your chats, and access to a physical keyboard so typing is quicker too.
Head to WhatsApp Web to get started and you’ll be presented with a QR code. Open WhatsApp on your phone, then tap Settings, WhatsApp Web/Desktop and Link a Device (on iOS), or tap the three dots then WhatsApp Web and Link a Device (on Android) to bring up the QR code scanner and get connected.
All of your conversations get synced across, complete with the contact images and read receipts (if you’ve turned them on). Click the three dots then Settings to configure the key options for the web app, including notification settings and the web app theme.
Instagram is available on the web as well, and in this case you don’t need access to your phone: You just need your username and password so you can log in. Go to Instagram on the web and enter your credentials to get started.
Once you’re in, you can do just about anything on the web app that you can do in the mobile app, including sending direct messages. The Instagram Stories interface is particularly well done in the browser, filling the whole screen with content from your friends that scrolls by automatically.
A click in the Instagram web app is usually the equivalent of a tap in the Instagram mobile app, so it’s not too difficult to find your way around. One feature you don’t have access to on the web is the ability to upload photos and videos, but it’s rumored to be coming soon.
Google Messages
Google continues to push the default Messages app on Android as the go-to app for keeping in touch with other people, and there’s a competent web version you can use as well—it’s almost like iMessage in the way you can switch from desktop to mobile.
Head to Messages for web in your desktop browser, and as with WhatsApp, you’ll be met with a QR code. In the Messages app on your Android phone, tap the three dots (top right), then Messages for web to get to the QR code scanner.
Once you’ve scanned the code and the connection has been made, you can see all of your conversations on a much bigger canvas. Click the three dots then Settings to configure the options for the web app, including how read receipts and notifications are handled.
Facebook Messenger
You might already be aware that Facebook Messenger is available on the web, but you might not have realized just how useful it can be in your browser—it’s actually quite a different app to the one that you’ve got on your phone.
Access to your phone isn’t necessary for this one, because you’re communicating directly with Facebook’s servers: Just enter your Facebook login credentials and all of your conversations will appear, with the contact names on the left and any relevant chat options on the right (click the blue info button at the top if you can’t see them).
Using the options in the right-hand pane you can customize the color schemes used for individual conversations, set up a custom emoji in place of the thumbs up icon for each chat, and more. Click the three dots next to your name (top left) for more options.
Telegram
If you’d rather not use messaging apps developed by Facebook or Google, then Telegram has a very competent web app that you can gain access to just by entering your cell number. You already need to have a Telegram account set up for this to work.
After you’ve completed the sign up process, you’ll get all of your conversations up in your browser, with much more screen space to scroll through them, compose your replies, and so on. You can also attach files from your computer to your outgoing messages (click the three dots in the top right corner to do this).
Click the menu button in the top left corner to find the Settings option: Here you can configure how you want notifications, message previews and so on to work when you’re using Telegram on the web.
Spotify
The spread of web apps extends to popular music streaming apps too—if you’ve never used Spotify on the web, then it’s worth giving it a try in your browser. It means you can access your tunes from any computer without installing any software.
All of your albums, artists, tracks and playlists are available and easily accessible in the web app, and you can just click around on the interface to start playing. It’s possible to create new playlists from the web too, and access all your Spotify recommendations.
One of the reasons why you might want to use Spotify on the web is because you can use it to control Spotify on other devices. If your tunes are playing on a phone, laptop, or smart speaker for example, you can use the web app to start and stop playback remotely.
Apple Music
Apple isn’t particularly well known for its web apps, but even it has got around to making an online version of its Apple Music app. It means you can get at your music library from any computer, even a Chromebook.
Once you’ve signed into Apple Music on the web using your Apple ID, you can see all the artists and albums in your library, together with all your playlists listed on the left. You don’t have access to all of the features in the desktop apps (smart playlists, for example), but as a basic player it’s fine.
There aren’t really any settings to speak of in Apple Music on the web—you just get what you’re given—but you can click the three red dots next to songs to add them to a playlist, or to your library, or to the current queue.
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