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22 January 2015 - 08:49 AMT

WhatsApp available to use on desktop for 1st time

WhatsApp is now available to use on desktop for the first time, Digital Spy reports.

The service – which has been a mobile-only app since its initial release in 2009 – can be accessed online from the Chrome browser.

The Facebook-owned company is calling the feature an "extension" of the current offering, as it mirrors activity on the main app.

To connect, users have to visit the WhatsApp Web page and scan a QR code using the latest version of WhatsApp on their smartphone.

Messages are synced between both devices, meaning WhatsApp Web will only work while your phone is connected to the internet.

There is also one big player excluded from the service too: iPhone.

"Unfortunately for now, we will not be able to provide web client to our iOS users due to Apple platform limitations," the company said in a blog post.

It was recently reported that WhatsApp's user count has continued to grow, currently standing at over 700 million monthly active users.