With the world being completely online, and WhatsApp requiring constant communication, privacy in WhatsApp is an indispensable item. WhatsApp is among the most famous messengers worldwide. Having billions of users, it is important to make sure that your personal information remains confidential. Fortunately, WhatsApp offers numerous options that enable the settings to be personalized in terms of privacy. We are going to discuss these environments in this guide to make you protect your data when using WhatsApp.
1. Profile Privacy: Control Who Sees Your Info
The WhatsApp profile will display the details of the other person. It has your profile picture, status and the last time you were seen. WhatsApp gives you the be able to control who can see this information.
Profile Photo
Your profile picture reflects back on you. It is noticeable to others, yet you are able to control the audience.
- Click on the settings > Account > Privacy > Profile Photo.
- You have three options:
- Everyone: Anyone may look at your picture.
- My Contacts: It can only be seen by members of your contacts list
- Nobody: No other people are allowed to see your photo.
Last Seen
Your Last Seen time is the last time when you used WhatsApp. You can hide it from others.
- Click on the Settings > Account > Privacy > Last Seen.
- You can choose:
- Everyone: You can observe who has been the last one to be active.
- My Contacts: It has only been seen by your contacts.
- Nobody: No one will see your last seen.
Status Updates
Your WhatsApp status will enable you to update your contacts. You can determine the viewers of these updates.
- Click on the Settings > Account > Privacy > Status.
- You can choose:
- My Contacts: You can see your status on the part of the friends.
- My Contacts Except…: Block some individuals on your status.
- Only Share With…: Post your position with certain individuals.
2. Groups Privacy: Who Can Add You to Groups?
WhatsApp has a feature of managing the people who add you to groups. You have the opportunity to restrict yourself in case you do not wish to be included in random groups.
- Click on the Settings > Account > Privacy > Groups.
- Three options are available:
- Everyone: Anyone can make you a member of a group.
- My Contacts: You can be added to the contacts list only by people.
- My Contacts Except…: Not to be added to some of your contacts.
With this personalization, you can be sure that you will not be part of some undesirable groups.
3. Read Receipts: Hide When You’ve Read a Message
WhatsApp contains a such feature as read receipts. Such blue ticks appear when a message has been viewed. This might be something that some users would like to remain confidential.
- Click on the Settings > Account > Privacy > Read Receipts.
- When you do not want to let other people know that you have read their messages, you can turn off the read receipts.
It is important to remember that when you set read receipts to off, you will not see the read receipts of other people either.
4. Profile and About Information: Who Can See Your Details?
WhatsApp ‘’About’’ can be used to provide personal information. You can even want to restrict its visibility.
- Click on the Settings > Account > Privacy > About.
- Choose from these options:
- Everyone: Anyone can view your About info.
- My Contacts: Only your contacts can see it.
- Nobody: Nobody can see your About information.
These environments will allow you to manage your profile information completely.
5. Disappearing Messages: Automatically Delete Messages After 7 Days
To have additional privacy, WhatsApp provides disappearing message feature. This does the automatic deletion of messages within 7 days. It is a perfect place to be in people who desire casual talks.
- Tap on the name of the contact by clicking on the chat.
- Click on Disappearing Messages and make it on.
- The messages would then be deleted after 7 days.
This aspect guarantees that your messages are cleared automatically and this provides an additional level of protection.
6. Blocking and Reporting Unwanted Contacts
There are those occasions when spammy contacts will bother you. In case somebody is harassing or spamming then you can block or report them. WhatsApp can be used to block someone which prevents calling or sending messages to them.
- Click on the chat of the one you desire to block.
- Click on their name, and make a choice of Block Contact.
- In case you wish to report them as spammers, then select Report Contact.
Reporting and blocking can assist you at keeping your privacy and security.
7. Two-Step Verification: Add an Extra Layer of Security
WhatsApp has an option of two-step verification to ensure an added security. This helps to case-out the unauthorized access of your account.
- Click on the Settings > Account > Two-Step Verification.
- Create a PIN of 6-digits to provide security.
- When you are registering your number on WhatsApp, you will be required to use this PIN.
Two-step verification increases the security of your account and makes sure that your messages can be accessed only by you.
8. Security Notifications: Stay Informed of Suspicious Activities
WhatsApp provides security notifications such as when one logs in with new devices. Allowing such notifications would keep you informed about any suspicious activity that occurred with your account.
- Click on the Settings > Account > Security.
- Switch-on Security Notifications so as to be posted in case of suspicious activity.
The feature can be used to guard against possible breaches of your account.
9. Security Codes for End-to-End Encryption
WhatsApp also has an end-to-end encryption, which means that only you and your communicative partner can read what is being said. Each conversation has its own security code which enables you to test the encryption.
- Tap the name of the contact in the chat and tap on Encryption.
- In this case, you will find a QR and 60-digit number.
Do not forget to check on this security code to have an assurance that your conversations are fully encrypted.
10. Managing Who Can See Your Live Location
WhatsApp also allows you to share your real-time location. You are able to decide who views it and to what extent.
- Tap the attach icon, open a chat and choose Location.
- Select Share live location and choose to share based on 15 minutes, 1 hour or 8 hours.
- Sharing your live location can be terminated any time.
This aspect will assist you in sharing your location with ease but not letting anybody share your location.
Conclusion
WhatsApp has several privacy options that can be used to make sure that personal information is safe. These settings can be used to protect your privacy, whether by controlling who views your profile and status or by using a second step verification. Take time to visit these settings and make them as per your preference. WhatsApp can be used in privacy with peace of mind and comfortable settings that maintain privacy.
With such modifications, you can make your WhatsApp account a more secure affair, which is the reason you are free to communicate with your friends, relatives, and business associates.