Millions of PC users have installed the new WhatsApp for Windows desktop app in the past few hours. The WhatsApp desktop app for Windows desktop offers all the features available in the smartphone version of the app.

If you often let others access your PC, you might want to stop others from viewing your WhatsApp messages. While there is no way around to password protect your WhatsApp app on Windows, you can log out of the WhatsApp app on your PC before allowing someone else to access your PC.

Luckily, signing out of the WhatsApp app in Windows 10/8 takes less than two seconds. In fact, you can log out of WhatsApp on a PC with just two clicks or taps. While a keyboard shortcut to sign out would have been fantastic, the current setup is not hard either.

There are basically two ways out there to sign out of the WhatsApp desktop app. In addition to the WhatsApp desktop app, you can also use the WhatsApp app on your smartphone to log out from the desktop app.

The ability to sign out using the smartphone is convenient as you can sign out of the desktop app (only desktop app and not from the smartphone app) when you are away from your PC.

Method 1 of 3

Log out of WhatsApp desktop app in Windows 10

Step 1: Make sure that your PC is connected to the internet and then launch WhatsApp desktop app.

Step 2: Once the app is launched, click on the WhatsApp menu (three dots icon) and then click Log out option to sign out of the WhatsApp desktop app.

To sign in again, please follow the directions mentioned in Method 3.

Method 2 of 3

Sign out of WhatsApp desktop from a smartphone

If you’re away from your PC, you can still log out of WhatsApp desktop app using your smartphone. Here is how to do just that.

Step 1: Open WhatsApp on your smartphone.

Step 2: After launching the WhatsApp app on your smartphone, you need to navigate to the WhatsApp web using the following directions:

On iPhone: WhatsApp app > Settings > WhatsApp Web

On Android and Windows Phone: WhatsApp > Menu > WhatsApp Web

Step 3: Under Logged in computers section, tap the link labeled Log out from all computers, and then tap Log out again (depending on your operating system, this option might change but will be similar) when you see the confirmation. That’s it!

Method 3 of 3

To sign in to WhatsApp desktop again

Step 1: Launch WhatsApp desktop on your PC to see the QR code screen.

Step 2: On your smartphone, open WhatsApp and scan the QR code being shown on your PC to log in. As simple as that!