Detect if WhatsApp is installed

Question

Using Android or a desktop browser, please visit this WhatsApp test page and click the Send button. If WhatsApp is not installed it will show you a message.

How does the code detection on that page work? I tried the following but nothing happens.

try {
  location.href = 'whatsapp://send/?phone=62812345678&text=test';
} catch (e) {
  console.log(e);
}

Answer 1

Here my testing on Android:

• Built-in Browser (Webview) and Firefox if WA installed You can use iframe to auto open WhatsApp

• Chrome and Opera Need user click action

and this simple code to check if WhatsApp are installed

let clickTimeout;
document.querySelector('#openWA').addEventListener('click', function() {
  let start = Date.now();
  clickTimeout = setTimeout(function() {
    if (Date.now() - start > 1250)
      return;
    alert('WA not installed')
  }, 1e3);

  // reset the setTimeout or the alert will always be fired
  window.addEventListener("blur", function() {
    clearTimeout(clickTimeout)
  });
})

<a href="whatsapp://send/?phone=62812345678&amp;text=test" id="openWA">Send to WhatsApp</button>

<!-- Auto open on WebView and Firefox -->
<iframe id="launcher" src="whatsapp://send/?phone=62812345678&amp;text=test" style="display: none;"></iframe>