WhatsApp for Huawei Mate 60

The Mate 60 runs HarmonyOS without Google Mobile Services, and WhatsApp isn't published in Huawei's AppGallery, so it won't appear in a search there. Install it instead by downloading the official APK from whatsapp.com/android in a browser, or use the Petal Search app/widget to find the latest WhatsApp APK. When you open the downloaded file, HarmonyOS will prompt you to allow installs from that source, so approve it. Because there's no Play Store, you'll need to repeat this manually whenever a new version is needed, as the app won't auto-update. See how others solved this on Reddit

This is usually because the installed WhatsApp version has aged out and WhatsApp no longer accepts it, since a sideloaded copy can't auto-update without the Play Store. Download the newest APK from whatsapp.com/android and install it over the top, choosing 'Restore' so your chats come back from the local backup. If verification or connection still fails, make sure the phone's clock is correct under Settings > System & updates > Date & time by enabling Set automatically. See how others solved this on Reddit

Yes, WhatsApp runs fine on the Mate 60 as a sideloaded APK. The main annoyance is that notifications can arrive late because there's no Google push service, and HarmonyOS aggressively closes background apps to save power. To fix this, go to Settings > Battery > App launch, find WhatsApp, switch it from Manage automatically to Manage manually, and enable Auto-launch, Secondary launch, and Run in background so the app stays alive. Keeping WhatsApp Web open on a PC is a useful fallback for instant delivery. See how others solved this on Reddit

The Mate 60 has no Google Drive, so a cloud restore from an old Android phone won't work and you'll need a local backup. On your old phone, open WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat backup and create a backup, then connect both phones (or use a memory card/PC) and copy the Internal storage > Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases folder, plus the Media folder, into the same location on the Mate 60. Install the WhatsApp APK, verify your number, and tap Restore when prompted so it reads the local database. See how others solved this on Reddit

Media usually stalls because WhatsApp was frozen in the background or is missing storage access on HarmonyOS. Open Settings > Apps > Apps > WhatsApp > Permissions and grant access to Files/Storage and Photos, then go to Settings > Battery > App launch and set WhatsApp to Manage manually so it isn't killed mid-download. If pictures still won't load, check the auto-download options inside WhatsApp under Settings > Storage and data, and confirm you have a stable Wi-Fi or mobile data connection. See how others solved this on Reddit