JAWS – Support for WhatsApp on Windows

JAWS – Support for WhatsApp on Windows

Problem

A JAWS customer wants to use WhatsApp on their Windows computer.

Applies to

  1. JAWS/Fusion

Resolution

In JAWS 2023 Freedom Scientific have provided extended enhanced support for the WhatsApp service via the Microsoft Store app for WhatsApp software.  Other releases outside Microsoft Store may not work as well.


Downloading WhatsApp


Note
An existing WhatsApp account is required to use the service.

Method 1 – search in Microsoft Store

  1. Open Start and search Microsoft Store and launch that result to open the Microsoft Store app.
  2. Press CONTROL+F to search and input “WhatsApp” without the quotes and press ENTER.
  3. Then use arrow keys to browse the resulting page and press ENTER on the Get button to download it.

Method 2 – link via the web

  1. Activate the link below to visit the WhatsApp Microsoft Store page, this will automatically launch WhatsApp page in Microsoft Store:
    https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/whatsapp/9NKSQGP7F2NH
  2. Then navigate to and press and press ENTER on the "Get" button in the window.
  3. App Store app” button.
  4. The Microsoft Store app will load the page for WhatsApp, navigate to the Get button and press ENTER to download.

Checking support for currently installed WhatsApp

A customer may already have WhatsApp installed on their PC but it may not be the version  that JAWS supports.  Use the steps below to check.   Press the hotkey JAWSKey+Q.

  • If the Microsoft Store app is running you should hear “WhatsApp settings are loaded…”.
  • If you hear “Default settings are loaded” probably the non-Microsoft Store app is running for which enhanced support is not available.

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