Mac users can chat, message, and share files with other WeChat users without the need for a mobile device. The desktop version contains a limited number of features of the smartphone app.
The Best Free Chat app downloads for Mac: AOL Desktop for Mac Telegram Proteus iGlasses Logitech QuickCam Yahoo Messenger Snapped for Snapchat Colloqu. WeChat for Mac lets you send files and images straight from your Mac to other people using the program on any device. Like the mobile app, you can send voice messages and use a group chat. Contact Apple support by phone or chat, set up a repair, or make a Genius Bar appointment for iPhone, iPad, Mac and more. Download Slack for free for mobile devices and desktop. Keep up with the conversation with our apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux. Apple Developer Portal: Bring Your iPad App to Mac. Stream Chat’s Swift SDK is fully compatible with Mac Catalyst, which means the chat experience that you build for iOS can easily transfer to.
Social interaction directly from your Mac
Beyond using just mobile devices, Mac users can keep in touch with friends and family directly from their laptop.
WeChat for Mac lets you send files and images straight from your Mac to other people using the program on any device. Like the mobile app, you can send voice messages and use a group chat. It’s free, and pushes out any ads that other programs are flooded with.
The beauty of this desktop version is that all you need is your computer. Just scan the QR code and be up and running. It’s great for people who want to avoid a download of the program to their phone. A bonus is that it requires very little storage space on the computer.
![Chat App For Mac Chat App For Mac](/uploads/1/2/8/4/128416399/787324738.png)
WeChat has some handy features. Use the screenshot tool to snap an instant image and send it on. It’s easy to get lost in a group chat, so this software gives members a notification when their name gets mentioned.
Quick messaging can lead to making mistakes. The program features a recall option. However, the limitation of this feature is that it is only relevant for the last one sent and within 2 minutes only.
The app is heavily used in China and across parts of Asia. Yet, it hasn’t had the same uptake globally as its competitors, making it a weak choice outside the key countries.
Where can you run this program?
Wechat App For Mac
![Chat app for mac Chat app for mac](/uploads/1/2/8/4/128416399/902296285.jpg)
WeChat runs across all platforms and mobile devices. A desktop version is available for Mac and Windows.
Is there a better alternative?
Yes, there is. WeChat is very popular in China. However, Line or WhatsApp are more widely used worldwide.
Our take
WeChat for Mac allows desktop users to access limited features of the smartphone app. Only recommended for users in, or with, an extensive network in China
Should you download it?
Yes, but only if you want to use your Mac to contact users of Wechat. Otherwise, there are other options.
2.3.25
Facebook is the new Orkut and Facebook Messenger is the new GTalk. It’s how most of your friends, if not you, like to communicate. A lot of people hate that Facebook Messenger on Android and iOS was split from the main app and that you can no longer use the main app to chat. I like the Messenger app and the reason is that it is hands down the best way to chat with my friends. Also, when you’re in the Messenger app, you’re not distracted by Facebook itself. There’s no notifications popping up, no timeline refreshing.
Having this experience on a Mac is surprisingly hard. Chat and Facebook on the web are too deeply intertwined. And before you ask me, yes, I’ve tried IM apps. In the days of GTalk and Yahoo Messenger I used to be a big fan of IM clients. But they just don’t work with Facebook. First, I use Facebook chat on multiple devices. The iPhone and iPad being the prominent ones (the ones where Facebook Messenger does a great job). The thing with IM clients is that the chat history is limited to the app.
So if I’m using an IM client on Mac (Adium was my choice), and I switch to the iPhone for a while, the messages I typed on the iPhone won’t show up in Adium. When I switched to the Mac, I lacked context and for some reason this really annoyed me. I’ve tried a couple of Chrome extensions that try to bring Facebook chat out of Facebook but none of them really worked.
I’m glad to say that I’ve been successful in my pursuit of finding a good Facebook chat client for Mac. One where it’s just about the chat, without any other Facebook distractions. In fact, I found two solutions. One paid, one free (with ads). Read on to find out which might suit you best.
Current for Facebook
Current ($1.99) is not solely a Facebook chat app, even though that’s how I use it. It can run the Facebook’s web interface inside a window, just like any other browser. But it has features like pop-out windows for viewing photos and video, and device-level integration for notifications.
What I like most is its menu bar utility. When you click the menu bar icon for Current, it opens up a drop-down window that contains friend requests, messages, and notifications. Clicking a recent chat opens it in a new window. Each chat gets its own floating window that you can move anywhere on the screen.
I’ve turned off notifications for anything other than messages from Facebook and I don’t open the main window, which loads up the Facebook homepage (it shows Facebook ads and I’m not a big fan of ads on Facebook).
What I love about Current: It’s fast. And stable. After using so many sucky IM clients and hacks for enabling Facebook chat on desktop, I’m surprised how good Current is. I can have four concurrent chats and it doesn’t miss a beat. Clicking on a notification brings me to the chat window. There’s no lag anywhere. The app is totally worth the $2 asking price, and more.ChatBook for Facebook
ChatBook is an app expressly built for chat. It’s free and ad supported (though you can pay $1.99 to remove these). While I’ve yet to see an ad, I have gotten annoying pop-ups for upgrading to a pro account. And this happens out of the blue, when you’re not even using the app. Very annoying.
The app replicates the sidebar from Facebook, including the ticker. Which is weird because it’s an app that’s just meant for chatting. But this problem is easy to solve. Just grab the divider between the ticker and friend list and drag it all the way up.
The way the app handles individual chats is also similar to Facebook’s website. They snap to a grid at the bottom of the screen. You can’t pop any windows out, and when a chat window is on screen, so is the friend list. There’s no way to separate them.
The app does have a handy stay-on-top feature. This is a feature I wish Current had. Browsing the web when you have a Facebook chat docked at the corner of the screen is incredibly useful. Although, with ChatBook, you’re looking at wasting about half your screen.
The Winner: Current for Facebook
Current costs $2 but I think it’s totally worth it. When it comes to a pure chatting experience that’s disengaged from the Facebook website but is integrated with the OS, Current is the best.
ChatBook is free but to use it for free you need to put up with annoying pop-ups that come out of nowhere. The Pro version of ChatBook costs $1.99, the same as Current.
Even looking at it from a purely economic perspective, it’s better to pay $2 up front for an app that offers a generally superior experience (along with full Facebook access if you’re interested in using it) than an app that puts you through annoying pop-ups.
How Do You Chat on Facebook?
Video Chat Apps For Mac
How do you use Facebook chat on all your various devices? Let us know in the comments below.
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Google Chat App Mac
Did You Know
The founders of WhatsApp, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, were both rejected by Facebook and Twitter in interviews.