How to fix WhatsApp white screen error?

A white screen in WhatsApp for Windows means the app window opened but the web page inside it never drew. Since version 2.2584.3.0 the Windows app shows web.whatsapp.com through Microsoft Edge WebView2, so the fault is usually in that runtime, not in your account. Test WhatsApp Web in a browser first, then repair the runtime.

Facts checked on 14 October 2026. Steps written for WhatsApp for Windows 2.2584.3.0 and later (the WebView2 app) on Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2 and Windows 10 22H2.

What the WhatsApp white screen means on a Windows PC

The white screen is not an error message from WhatsApp. It is an empty canvas. The app's window frame has started, but the content that should fill it, the list of chats, was never drawn. That is why there is no code to search for and why people describe it in so many ways: white screen, blank screen, black screen, stuck on loading.

To see why it happens you need one fact about the current app. WhatsApp for Windows is no longer a program that draws its own buttons. Windows Latest, which tested the change, reports that version 2.2584.3.0 replaced the native app with a wrapper that loads web.whatsapp.com inside Microsoft Edge WebView2. WebView2 is Microsoft's browser engine for apps. So the app is a small window around a web page, and four separate things must work before you see a chat.

The WhatsApp Help Center itself does not name WebView2 anywhere. It says only that WhatsApp for Windows is supported on Windows 10 64-bit version 1903 and newer and can be downloaded from the WhatsApp download page or the Microsoft Store. The technical base described here comes from independent testing and from Microsoft's own WebView2 documentation.

Why WhatsApp is showing a white screen: the causes in order

Most often the runtime under the app is the problem. Less often it is the app's own saved data. Rarely it is the graphics driver, a Windows preview update or the network. The table ties each cause to the fix that answers it.

Two things the white screen is not. It is not a sign that your account was banned, that someone blocked you or that someone read your chats: the same account keeps working on your phone. Malware is not a typical cause either. If the PC shows other strange behaviour, scan it with Microsoft Defender, but do not expect the scan to bring the chat list back.

How to fix the WhatsApp white screen on Windows 11 and Windows 10

The fixes are ordered by how often they help and how little they cost. The first three change nothing on your PC that you would miss. Only Reset and a reinstall sign the computer out of WhatsApp, and linking it again takes a minute. If your problem is in a browser tab or on a phone, jump to the sections after Fix 8.

Fix 1. Test WhatsApp Web, then close every WhatsApp process and start again

2 minutesNo riskEveryone with a white Windows app starts here, because it tells you which layer failed.

The app and WhatsApp Web load the same page from the same servers. If the page works in a browser, your account, your phone link and WhatsApp's servers are fine and the fault sits on this PC. Closing the window does not always stop the app, because its WebView2 processes can stay behind in a hung state.

1. Open Microsoft Edge or Chrome and go to web.whatsapp.com.
2. If you see a QR code or your chats, WhatsApp itself works. Follow the on-screen instructions to scan the code with your phone if you need to chat right now.
3. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the three dots next to WhatsApp and select Advanced options.
4. Select Terminate. It closes the app and its related processes at once.
5. If the app still has a window, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, select WhatsApp under Apps and select End task.
6. Turn the PC off, wait 30 seconds and turn it on again. WhatsApp's own advice names this pause.
7. Open WhatsApp from the Start menu.

On Windows 10 the path is Settings > Apps > Apps & features: select WhatsApp, then Advanced options under its name. More ways to close a stuck app: Close a frozen app (Task Manager, Force Quit)

Fix 2. Repair or install the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime

5 minutesNo riskWhatsApp Web works in a browser but the app stays white, above all on Windows 10 or on a PC cleaned with a debloat tool.

The current app cannot draw anything without this runtime, and repairing or resetting WhatsApp never touches it. Microsoft says a WebView2 app can only use the WebView2 Runtime, not the Edge browser itself, so a working Edge proves nothing about the runtime.

1. Close WhatsApp (Fix 1, steps 3 and 4).
2. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps. On Windows 10 open Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
3. Type webview in the search box of the list.
4. If Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is listed, select the three dots next to it and select Modify.
5. Select Repair in the window that opens and wait until it finishes. It downloads the runtime again, so you need an internet connection.
6. Restart the PC and open WhatsApp.

If the runtime is not in the list at all, check the registry value that Microsoft documents for this purpose. Type cmd in the search box on the taskbar, open Command Prompt and run the two commands. They only read, nothing is changed.

Is the WebView2 Runtime installed (64-bit Windows)?

reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate\Clients\{F3017226-FE2A-4295-8BDF-00C3A9A7E4C5}" /v pv
reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate\Clients\{F3017226-FE2A-4295-8BDF-00C3A9A7E4C5}" /v pv

1. Open https://developer.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/webview2/ in a browser. This is Microsoft's own download page for the runtime.
2. In the section Download the WebView2 Runtime, select Download under Evergreen Bootstrapper. Microsoft names the file MicrosoftEdgeWebview2Setup.exe and gives its size as about 2 MB.
3. Right-click the file and select Run as administrator, so the runtime is installed for the whole PC and not for one user.
4. Wait for the installer to finish, restart the PC and open WhatsApp.

Fix 3. Update WhatsApp, then Windows

5 to 15 minutesNo riskThe app went white after an update, showed a notice that the version expired, or has not been updated for months.

Because the app only wraps a web page that WhatsApp changes on its servers, an old wrapper can stop matching the page it loads. WhatsApp's own advice for connection problems ends with using the most up to date version.

1. Close WhatsApp.
2. Open Microsoft Store from the Start menu.
3. Select Library and then Check for updates. Microsoft's help page names this button.
4. Wait until WhatsApp is updated. If it is not in the list of updates, open its Store page and look for an Update button there.
5. Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. On Windows 10 open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
6. Install what is offered, restart the PC and open WhatsApp.

The WebView2 Runtime needs no manual update. Microsoft calls it evergreen: new versions are downloaded on their own, and an app starts using the new version the next time it is started. A WhatsApp that has been left running for weeks therefore still runs on the old runtime. Fix 1 took care of that.

Fix 4. Repair WhatsApp, then reset it

3 minutesRead the warningThe runtime is fine and the app is current, but the window stays white for this Windows user.

The app keeps a browser profile of its own: cookies, cache and the key that links this PC to your phone. If that profile is damaged, the page cannot start. Repair checks the installation and keeps the profile. Reset deletes the profile, which Microsoft lists as the way to recover a WebView2 app from data corruption.

1. Open Installed apps. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Open the app's advanced options. Find the app in the list, select the three dots next to it and select Advanced options. Some apps do not have this option: for those, see the section about desktop programs below.

   

3. Repair first. On the page that opens, select Repair if it is there. The app's data stays. Open the app and check whether it works.

   

4. Reset if Repair did not help. Select Reset. This deletes the app's data on this PC, including sign-in details and settings. Open the app and set it up again.

These steps were written for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: How to repair or reset an app in Windows

After a reset, open WhatsApp on the PC and follow the on-screen instructions to scan the QR code with your phone. On the phone the entry is called Linked devices. A linked PC shows messages without the phone being online, but WhatsApp logs it out if the phone is not used for more than 14 days.

Fix 5. Uninstall WhatsApp and install it again from Microsoft Store

5 minutesRead the warningRepair and Reset are missing, fail, or leave the window white.

This is the last step on WhatsApp's own list for the Windows app: uninstall and download again. It replaces the whole package, not only its data. For a Store app Windows deletes the WebView2 profile together with the app, so you also get a clean profile.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps. On Windows 10 open Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
2. Find WhatsApp, select the three dots next to it, select Uninstall and confirm.
3. If the list shows a second WhatsApp entry, such as WhatsApp Beta, remove it too. Two builds on one PC confuse the test.
4. Restart the PC.
5. Open Microsoft Store, search for WhatsApp and install the app named WhatsApp.
6. Open the app and follow the on-screen instructions to scan the QR code with your phone.

WhatsApp also offers the app on its own download page. Other ways to remove a program, and what to do when Uninstall is greyed out: Uninstall a program or app in Windows

Fix 6. Start WebView2 without GPU drawing as a test, then fix the graphics driver

3 minutesLow riskThe window is white or black, flickers or freezes, and the problem comes back even after a clean reinstall.

WebView2 draws the page with the graphics card. If that path fails with your driver, the window stays empty although every file is healthy. Microsoft documents an environment variable, WEBVIEW2_ADDITIONAL_BROWSER_ARGUMENTS, whose value WebView2 adds to its start options. An independent investigation of WhatsApp 2.2631.102.0 on Windows 11 ended its hangs with this one setting.

1. Close WhatsApp fully (Fix 1, steps 3 and 4).
2. Type powershell in the search box on the taskbar and open Windows PowerShell. Administrator rights are not needed.
3. Paste the first command below and press Enter.
4. Sign out of Windows and sign in again, so that every app sees the new variable.
5. Open WhatsApp and use it for a while.

Turn GPU drawing off for WebView2 apps of this user

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('WEBVIEW2_ADDITIONAL_BROWSER_ARGUMENTS', '--disable-gpu', 'User')

Undo: remove the variable again

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('WEBVIEW2_ADDITIONAL_BROWSER_ARGUMENTS', $null, 'User')

If the app now works, the graphics path was the cause. The lasting repair is a driver that works: install the current driver from the maker of your graphics card, or roll back if the trouble began after a driver update. Then run the undo command and test again. Step by step: Update, roll back or reinstall a driver

Fix 7. Remove the Windows update that arrived just before the white screen

15 minutesLow riskThe app stopped on the day Windows installed an update, most of all on a Windows Insider preview build.

The app depends on Windows parts that an update replaces. In March 2026 Windows Insiders reported on Microsoft Q&A that WhatsApp opened to a white screen after the Beta build 26220.8138 (KB5079491), and that Repair, Reset and reinstalling did not help. Removing the update brought the app back at once. Microsoft's release post for that build lists no such known issue, so this rests on user reports.

1. Open Windows Update. Select Start > Settings > Windows Update.
2. Open the update history. Under More options, select Update history. Note the KB number and the date of the update you suspect.
3. Open the list of removable updates. Scroll down to Related settings and select Uninstall updates.

   

4. Uninstall the update. Find the update in the list and select Uninstall next to it. If the update is not in the list, Windows does not allow it to be removed this way.

   

5. Pause updates. Go back to Settings > Windows Update and select Pick a date on the Pause updates control. If your PC shows a list there instead, select the pause length you prefer. Without a pause Windows downloads the same update again.

These steps were written for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: How to uninstall a Windows update

• Remove only the update whose date matches the day the white screen began. Security updates protect the PC, so do not strip several of them on a guess.
• Pause updates for a week or two, not for good. Check after each new update whether WhatsApp still opens.
• On an Insider build, report the fault in Feedback Hub. Microsoft's volunteer moderators point there, and to WhatsApp support, for exactly this case.
• Use WhatsApp Web in the meantime. The Insiders in those threads named it as the app that failed, which shows how often the two are mixed up, but a normal browser tab is not affected by the app's packaging.

Fix 8. Change the network or let WhatsApp through it

5 minutesNo riskThe app is white or loads without end at work, on campus, in a hotel or with a VPN, and works on another connection.

The chat page is fetched from WhatsApp's servers every time the app starts. A filter that blocks those addresses leaves the window empty, and the app looks broken although nothing on the PC is wrong. WhatsApp names office and university Wi-Fi as a known source of this.

1. Turn on the hotspot of your phone and connect the PC to it.
2. Open WhatsApp. If it works now, the first network is blocking it.
3. Disconnect a VPN or a proxy for one test and open WhatsApp again.
4. On a network you manage, allow traffic to web.whatsapp.com and .whatsapp.net without filtering. This is the wording of WhatsApp's own advice.
5. On a network you do not manage, send that line to the administrator.
6. Look for a yellow banner with the text Computer not connected in the app. It means the PC itself has no internet connection.

If other websites fail as well, the problem is the connection of the PC and not WhatsApp. Check it from the adapter to the DNS server: How to check your internet connection in Windows

WhatsApp Web blank or white screen in a browser tab

This section is for a white tab at web.whatsapp.com in a normal browser. Nothing here needs the Windows app. WhatsApp Web is supported on Windows, Linux and macOS, with these minimum versions: Chrome 100, Edge 100, Firefox 115, Safari 15 and Opera 86. It does not work in Internet Explorer.

1. Refresh the page. This is the first step on WhatsApp's list.
2. Open a private or incognito window and load web.whatsapp.com there. If it works, an extension or stored data of the normal profile is the cause.
3. Pause your extensions, above all content blockers, script blockers and privacy tools, and reload. Turn them on again one by one to find the one that breaks the page.
4. Clear the cache and cookies of the browser, which WhatsApp recommends next. You will scan the QR code again afterwards.
5. Update the browser to its current version and restart it.
6. Log out of WhatsApp Web and log back in. From the phone: Linked devices, tap the device, tap Log out.
7. Try another network or your phone's hotspot, as in Fix 8.

The same box in Edge and Firefox, with every step: Clear the browser cache and cookies. If you use WhatsApp's Code Verify extension and it warns that the network timed out, WhatsApp's advice is to reload, try another Wi-Fi network and pause your other extensions during the check.

WhatsApp blank white screen on an Android phone or tablet

On Android the white screen is a different fault with the same look. The app is not a web page here, so nothing about WebView2 applies. The usual reasons are a stuck app process, an outdated app, a phone that is nearly full or an Android version WhatsApp no longer supports. WhatsApp supports Android 6.0 and newer.

1. Restart the phone. If it does not react, Google's help says to hold the power button for about 30 seconds to force a restart.
2. Open Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, tap Manage apps & devices and install what is listed under Updates available.
3. Open Settings > System > Software update and install a pending Android update.
4. Check free space. Google says problems can start when less than 10% of storage is free. Delete or move files if you are near that.
5. Open Settings > Apps > See all apps > WhatsApp > Storage & cache and tap Clear cache. This deletes temporary data only.
6. If the screen is still white and you have a backup, uninstall WhatsApp, install it again and tap Restore when asked. Do not tap Skip if you want your old chats.

Menu names differ between phone makers. Google notes that settings can vary by phone, and the paths above are those of Pixel phones. An Android tablet that is linked to your phone account behaves like a PC: it holds a copy, and unlinking and linking it again loses nothing.

WhatsApp white screen on an iPhone or iPad

WhatsApp supports iPhones running iOS 15.1 and newer. From 30 November 2026 only iOS 15.5 and newer will be supported, so an old iPhone that suddenly shows an empty WhatsApp may simply have aged out. Apple's own order of steps for any app that will not open is short.

1. Force the app to close, then open it again.
2. Restart the iPhone or iPad and open the app again.
3. Open the App Store, tap your profile icon, tap App Updates and update WhatsApp. If no app update is offered, update iOS.
4. Check the backup first: WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup shows the time and size of the last one.
5. Delete the app and download it again. Apple warns that you might lose data that was stored in the app, so this is the last step.
6. After the reinstall, verify your phone number and Apple ID and tap Restore Chat History.

If WhatsApp for Windows is still a white screen

The app shows no error, but Windows records one. Type event viewer in the search box on the taskbar, open Event Viewer and go to Windows Logs > Application. Sort by date and look at the entries from the moment you opened WhatsApp.

• What to send to WhatsApp support: the app version, your Windows version and build (press Win + R, type winver), the WebView2 Runtime version from Fix 2, the Event ID and the faulting module. Use the Contact Us link at the bottom of the Help Center.
• Test another Windows user. Create a second local account and open WhatsApp there. If it works, the fault is in your profile, not in Windows.
• Where the app keeps its profile. An independent analysis of version 2.2631.102.0 found it under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\5319275A.WhatsAppDesktop_cv1g1gvanyjgm\LocalCache\EBWebView. Reset and uninstall clear it for you. We could not confirm this path from WhatsApp or Microsoft.
• When it is not software. A white or black window in several apps at once, with screen flicker or artefacts elsewhere, points to the graphics card, its driver or a docking station.
• When the PC is too old. On Windows 10 older than version 1903, or on 32-bit Windows, the app is not supported. Use WhatsApp Web.

How to keep the white screen from coming back

The current app has more moving parts than the old one, and each of them updates on its own schedule. A few habits keep them in step.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my WhatsApp showing a white screen?

On a Windows PC the app window started but the page inside it was never drawn. The current app shows web.whatsapp.com through Microsoft Edge WebView2, so the white screen most often means that runtime is missing or damaged. Less often the app's saved profile is corrupted, the graphics driver fails or a network blocks WhatsApp. On a phone the reasons are different: a stuck process, an outdated app, almost no free storage or an operating system WhatsApp no longer supports. In every case your account is fine and the chats are still on your phone.

Why is my WhatsApp Desktop screen blank on Windows 11?

Windows 11 includes the WebView2 Runtime, so on a normal PC the cause is usually a damaged copy of it, an app profile that broke or a Windows update. Repair Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime under Settings > Apps > Installed apps with Modify > Repair, then update WhatsApp in Microsoft Store. If the app went blank on the day Windows installed an update, mostly a preview build, removing that update is what users report as the cure. A PC that was cleaned with a debloat script may have lost the runtime completely and needs it installed again from Microsoft's page.

Does the WhatsApp white screen on Windows 10 need a different fix?

The fixes are the same, but the first suspect is stronger. The WebView2 Runtime is a built-in part of Windows 11 only, and Microsoft says a small number of Windows 10 devices do not have it. On such a PC the app can only show an empty window until the runtime is installed. The menu path also differs: Settings > Apps > Apps & features instead of Installed apps. WhatsApp supports Windows 10 64-bit from version 1903. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025, so the system no longer gets regular fixes.

Will I lose my chats if I reset or reinstall WhatsApp on my PC?

No. A computer is a linked device and holds only a copy. Reset and uninstall delete that copy and the sign-in, nothing else. When you open the app again you scan the QR code with your phone and the history is loaded again. WhatsApp notes a known issue where some linked devices do not show up to one year of history, and says the full history remains on the primary phone. On a phone the answer is the opposite: uninstalling the phone app deletes the chats unless you restore them from a backup.

Is WhatsApp compatible with Windows 11?

Yes. The WhatsApp Help Center says WhatsApp for Windows is supported on Windows 10 64-bit version 1903 and newer versions, which includes every version of Windows 11. You can get it from the WhatsApp download page or from Microsoft Store. A white screen is therefore not a sign of an unsupported system on Windows 11. On a 32-bit Windows or on Windows 10 older than version 1903 the app is not supported at all, and WhatsApp points those users to WhatsApp Web in a browser, which works on Windows, Linux and macOS.

Why is WhatsApp Desktop a black screen instead of a white one?

Black and white are the same fault in two colours: an empty window whose content was never drawn. Which colour you get depends on the theme and on the moment drawing stopped. A black window, flicker or freezes that survive a clean reinstall point to the graphics path of WebView2. Test it by starting WebView2 without GPU drawing, as in Fix 6, and install the current driver for your graphics card if the test helps. If the window is black only for a second while the app starts, that is normal loading and needs no repair.

Does running WhatsApp in compatibility mode or as administrator still help?

No. That advice dates from 2020, when WhatsApp for PC was a classic program with its own setup file, and the build 2.2043.21 was reported as faulty. Today's app is a Microsoft Store package whose content is drawn by the WebView2 Runtime. A Store app has no Compatibility tab to set, and administrator rights do not repair a missing runtime or a damaged profile. Looking for the old 2.2041.7 installer on third-party sites is worse than useless: old versions expire, and WhatsApp warns that unofficial apps can get an account banned.

Why does WhatsApp show a white screen on my tablet?

It depends on how the tablet uses WhatsApp. An iPad or an Android tablet linked to your phone account is a linked device, like a PC. Remove the app, install it again and link it once more: nothing is lost, because the history is on the phone. An Android tablet registered with its own number is a primary device, and there the chats live in the app. In that case check Settings > Chats > Chat Backup before you clear storage or uninstall, and follow the Android section of this page.

Is this page available in other languages, for example for 'layar WhatsApp putih' or 'WhatsApp pantalla blanca'?

This page is in English only. The searches 'whatsapp blank putih', 'kenapa layar wa jadi putih semua' and 'whatsapp pantalla blanca' describe the same fault: WhatsApp opens and the screen stays white. The answer does not change with the language. On a Windows PC, test web.whatsapp.com in a browser and repair the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime. On an Android phone, restart, update the app, free some storage and reinstall only after you have checked the chat backup. The menu names in your language will differ from the English labels printed here.