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How to Use WhatsApp on a Raspberry Pi 1

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How to Use WhatsApp on a Raspberry Pi 1

WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that allows you to send and receive messages, make voice and video calls, and share media files with your contacts. While it's primarily designed for use on smartphones, it's possible to use WhatsApp on a Raspberry Pi 1 as well. In this tutorial, you will learn how to set up and use WhatsApp on your Raspberry Pi 1.

Prerequisites

Before we start, make sure you have the following:

  1. Raspberry Pi 1 - Ensure it is connected to the internet and running the latest version of Raspbian OS.
  2. MicroSD card - With enough storage capacity for the Raspbian OS.
  3. USB Webcam - If you want to use video calling features in WhatsApp.

Steps

1. Enable SSH

To make the process easier, we will enable SSH on the Raspberry Pi. This allows you to access the Pi remotely from another device.

  1. Connect your Raspberry Pi to a monitor and keyboard.

  2. Open the terminal by clicking on the terminal icon in the taskbar or by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.

  3. Type the following command to open the Raspberry Pi Configuration tool:

    sudo raspi-config

  4. In the configuration tool, navigate to "Interfacing Options" and select "SSH".

  5. Choose "Yes" to enable SSH. Confirm the changes and exit the configuration tool.

2. Install Exagear Desktop

Exagear Desktop is a virtual machine that allows you to run x86 applications on ARM-based devices like the Raspberry Pi 1.

  1. Open a web browser on your Raspberry Pi and go to the Eltechs website (https://eltechs.com).
  2. Download the Exagear Desktop for Raspberry Pi 1 installation package.
  3. Follow the installation instructions provided by Eltechs to install Exagear Desktop on your Raspberry Pi 1.

3. Install Android on Exagear Desktop

Now that you have Exagear Desktop installed on your Raspberry Pi, we will install the Android operating system on it. This will allow us to run WhatsApp.

  1. Download the Android ARM image from the official website (https://www.android-x86.org).

  2. Open a terminal window and navigate to the directory where the downloaded image is located.

  3. Run the following command to install the Android image on Exagear Desktop:

    exagear --isolate /bin/bash -c "./INSTALL.sh"

  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Android installation.

4. Set up WhatsApp on Android

With Android installed on your Raspberry Pi, you can now set up and use WhatsApp.

  1. Launch Android by running the following command in the terminal:

    exagear --isolate /opt/android-sdk/platform-tools/adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n org.android-x86.android.ControllerActivity

  2. Follow the on-screen instructions to configure Android, including signing in with your Google account.

  3. Open the Google Play Store and search for "WhatsApp". Install the WhatsApp Messenger app.

  4. Once installed, open the WhatsApp Messenger app and follow the on-screen instructions to set up your WhatsApp account.

5. Configure Audio and Video (optional)

To use voice and video calling features in WhatsApp, you may need to configure the audio and video settings.

Configure Audio

  1. Connect a headset or speakers to the audio output jack of the Raspberry Pi.
  2. Open the settings menu in WhatsApp and navigate to "Voice & Video Calls" -> "Audio Output".
  3. Select the appropriate audio output device.

Configure Video

  1. Connect a USB webcam to one of the USB ports on the Raspberry Pi.
  2. Open the settings menu in WhatsApp and navigate to "Voice & Video Calls" -> "Video".
  3. Select the USB webcam as the video input device.

6. Using WhatsApp on Raspberry Pi

Once you have completed the setup process, you can start using WhatsApp on your Raspberry Pi.

  1. Launch Exagear Desktop and then launch Android by following the commands in Step 4.
  2. On the Android home screen, locate and open the WhatsApp Messenger app.
  3. Sign in with your WhatsApp account credentials.
  4. You can now use WhatsApp on your Raspberry Pi 1 to send and receive messages, make voice and video calls, and share media files with your contacts.

Congratulations! You have successfully set up and are now able to use WhatsApp on a Raspberry Pi 1. Enjoy communicating with your friends and family using this popular messaging app on your Pi.