ZapFast is an unofficial desktop WhatsApp client built in Rust using egui and the fastframe framework. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, connects to WhatsApp as a companion device, and avoids embedding a browser engine. In a Linux test, it reportedly launches in under a second and uses about 200 MB of idle memory, compared with 1.13 GB for WhatsApp Web. Its interface supports ten languages. Users link an account by scanning a QR code or entering a phone-number link code; the app then syncs recent chats, while older messages load as users scroll. Previously stored messages remain readable after restarts without the phone staying online.
The feature set includes formatted messages, replies, edits, reactions, forwards, attachments, stickers, GIFs, polls, voice messages, and in-chat playback of media. It can keep an encrypted local chat archive, export saved history with attachments, manage multiple WhatsApp numbers in one window, and provide keyboard shortcuts, tray notifications, themes, and locks for chats or the entire app. Install options include Homebrew, Arch packages, Windows builds, Nix, and AppImage, with source builds also supported. The project is MIT-licensed and provides a demo mode for exploring the interface without an account. Its key caveat is account risk: because ZapFast is not affiliated with WhatsApp or Meta, using an unofficial client may violate WhatsApp’s terms and could lead to account suspension.
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