To find the best WhatsApp tips and tricks we have done a lot of research WhatsApp is a hugely popular mobile messaging app that’s favored by two billion monthly active users. Fans love that WhatsApp lets them chat, call, and video call for free, as well as send each other photos and videos. However, WhatsApp is so rich in features that you might feel overwhelmed at first.
That’s when these WhatsApp tips might come in handy. Our team of experts ran an extensive series of tests to confirm that these tips actually work.
The 10 Best WhatsApp Tips and Tricks
You might be feeling daunted by the sheer number of options on this app if you’ve only recently joined the mobile texting revolution with WhatsApp.
Here are some pointers to help you make the most of WhatsApp, from security and privacy enhancements to graphical customization options.
1. Send Disappearing Messages
Disappearing messages automatically delete themselves after a certain period of time. That way, you won’t have to worry about your message being saved or forwarded without your knowledge.
WhatsApp gives you the option of having messages disappear after 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days. You can turn it on for specific conversations with anyone you choose. Keep in mind though that the preview of the message will remain viewable in the notifications panel until you open the app, even if the time lapses for the message period.
- Open the WhatsApp chat you want to use disappearing messages on.
- Click on the contact’s name.
- Click on “disappearing messages.”
- Select your preferred duration.
Alternatively, if you want to enable disappearing messages for all your contacts, you can do this:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Account, then go to Privacy.
- Select Default message timer and then select your preferred duration.
Once enabled, WhatsApp will notify you directly in the chat that the disappearing messages are turned on.
2. Audio or Video Call Your Friends
One of WhatsApp’s most popular features is the free audio and video calls it offers its users. You can call your friends one-on-one or even have group calls of up to 32 participants on WhatsApp.
To do this, open the contact or group you wish to call. In the top-right corner of the action bar, you will see a video call button and an audio call button. Choose which you prefer.
Your camera will always be on during a video call, as seen on the left of the image above, and you won’t be able to turn it off. You do, however, have the choice to turn the camera around if you so choose. The default WhatsApp wallpaper will be shown during audio calls.
Both allow you to turn your microphone on and off.
3. Customize Your Chat Wallpaper
Are you looking to add a prettier aesthetic to your WhatsApp chats? You can change the wallpaper for all your chats, or set specific wallpapers for chats with different people.
You can also choose between dark or light-mode wallpapers. On dark mode, you have the option to dim your wallpaper too, so it’s easier on the eyes.
To change the wallpaper across all chats, follow these steps:
- Tap the three vertical dots that indicate more options and click on “settings.”
- Then click on “chats” and then “wallpaper.”
- Here, you can alter the wallpaper dimming level to your preference.
- To change the wallpaper altogether, click “change.”
- You can choose from WhatsApp’s templates of bright, dark, or solid colors or choose one from your photos. You can also opt for WhatsApp’s default wallpaper.
- Click “Set wallpaper.”
If you want to change the wallpaper for a specific chat, these are the instructions:
- Open the chat you want to customize the wallpaper for.
- Tap the three vertical dots that indicate more options and then click on ”wallpaper.”
- Alter the wallpaper dimming level to your preference.
- Click “change” to update the wallpaper picture and choose from WhatsApp’s categories or your own image.
- Tap “set wallpaper.”
4. Change Your Privacy Settings
When you first install the app, WhatsApp’s default settings allow any user to see when you were last online, your about information and profile picture, and whether you have read receipts enabled. Only your contacts will be able to see your status updates, but anyone can add you to groups.
To change these privacy options, go to your settings page. This may vary depending on the device.
- On Android, tap the three vertical dots that indicate more options. Then click on “settings,” then “account,” then “privacy.”
- On iPhone, you can directly tap “settings,” “account,” then “privacy.”
- On desktop devices, you have to tap the menu symbol, “settings,” then “privacy.”
From this menu, you can directly update:
- Your “last seen,” which displays when you were last on the app
- Your profile photo
- Your “about” information
- Your status
- Disappearing messages default timer
- Who can add you to groups
- Your live location sharing
You can also manage your blocked contacts, enable fingerprint lock, and enable or disable read receipts.
Keep in mind that:
- You won’t be able to view others’ “last seen” unless yours is enabled.
- You can’t view read receipts for messages you send if either you or the other party has read receipts turned off.
- The status of ‘online’ and ‘typing’ is always visible and cannot be changed.
5. Delete Your WhatsApp Media
If you want to delete WhatsApp media without deleting the entire app, you can directly go to your phone’s file manager or gallery.
From there, locate your WhatsApp images and WhatsApp video folder and clear out the files you don’t need. For example, on a OnePlus phone, you would see this listed under the app collections in your gallery.
6. Turn Off Automatic Media Download
WhatsApp automatically downloads pictures and clips from your chats.
If you open your photo gallery and find it filled with videos and images from WhatsApp that take up a lot of space, manually deleting each one can be a time-consuming chore. A simple hack is to turn off media auto-download and keep WhatsApp media from your gallery altogether.
To do this, navigate to settings and then storage and data. Under the media auto-download section, you’ll be able to change the settings for three modes:
- When using mobile data
- When connected to WiFi
- When roaming
For all three, you can specify which content you want to download automatically. You can choose to enable this for photos, audio files, videos, and documents.
Final Remarks
One of the most popular messaging platforms in the world is WhatsApp. It’s simple to understand why the app is so popular because it’s practical, safe, and cost-free. However, a lot of people are unaware that it is capable of much more than just sending text messages. This article should assist you in discovering WhatsApp’s other features.
Do you use WhatsApp frequently? What tips from this list are your favorites for using WhatsApp, and are there any that we missed? Please tell us in the comments.