Get started on Mac

Kondo Desktop is a native Mac app. It runs on its own, without a browser or a browser extension.

Install

Download Kondo Desktop and drag it to your Applications folder.

Kondo runs on macOS 13.3 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel Macs. One download covers both.

Sign in

Open Kondo from Applications and sign in. Kondo opens your browser to finish signing in, then hands you back to the app.

You need an active subscription to use Kondo.

Pair WhatsApp

Kondo connects to WhatsApp the same way WhatsApp Web does — as a linked device on your phone. Your phone stays the main device.

1. Open Kondo. It shows a QR code.
2. On your phone, open WhatsApp.
   • iPhone: Settings → Linked devices
   • Android: Menu → Linked devices
3. Tap Link a device and scan the code.

Scan from inside WhatsApp. The camera app won't pair.

QR codes expire after a few minutes. Kondo shows a fresh one when that happens.

Permissions macOS asks for

• Contacts — required. Kondo reads your contacts to show names instead of phone numbers. Grant it in System Settings, then retry.
• Notifications — optional. Skip it and pairing still finishes; you can turn notifications on later.
• Microphone — asked the first time you record a voice note.

After pairing

Kondo loads the chats and history WhatsApp sends to a linked device. History arrives in batches, so the inbox is usable before everything has loaded.

Keep your phone reachable. WhatsApp unlinks devices that stay offline for a long stretch — if that happens, pair again from the same screen.

Multiple WhatsApp accounts

Kondo pairs with one WhatsApp account at a time — see Multiple accounts.

Updates

Kondo downloads updates in the background and applies them when you restart the app. Required updates install and relaunch on their own — nothing is lost.