Saving WhatsApp statuses on Linux

WhatsApp doesn't ship a desktop app for Linux. WhatsApp Web works in any modern browser, and in Chromium-based browsers you can keep statuses as well.

Steps#

1. Open web.whatsapp.com in Google Chrome, Chromium, Brave, Vivaldi or Edge and link your phone.
2. Install the Status Saver extension.
3. Open the Status tab and watch statuses — photos and videos you open are kept automatically.
4. Click Viewed statuses, or open the viewer page, and Save. Files land in ~/Downloads.

Firefox can't run Chrome extensions, so on Firefox only screenshots and screen recordings are available.

Snap and Flatpak browsers#

Browsers installed as a Snap or Flatpak are sandboxed. Saving still works, but the download folder may be inside the sandbox's own ~/Downloads mapping — if a saved file seems missing, check your browser's download settings for the real path.

Unofficial "WhatsApp for Linux" apps#

Several community apps wrap WhatsApp Web in their own window. They're not from WhatsApp, can't run browser extensions, and you're trusting a third party with your session. A regular browser tab is safer.

Playing saved videos#

Status videos are MP4 (usually H.264), which plays in any standard player. If one won't open, see a saved status video won't play.