WhatsApp Privacy Settings: This article covers configuring and using WhatsApp’s privacy settings for iOS and Android. WhatsApp is an incredibly successful free messaging application with over 2 billion users worldwide. While most people use WhatsApp on their phones, it may also be accessed on a desktop or laptop computer. So if you know you’ll be away from your phone for a long and need to send a short message, or if you want to stay in contact with friends or family while working, use WhatsApp on your MacBook, Windows 10, or Windows 11 PC might be an excellent option.
What WhatsApp Privacy Settings Can You Change?
While the settings listed above are your primary privacy controls, there are a few WhatsApp tools and features that may assist you in retaining your privacy while using the service.
1. Block contacts
If you’re worried about someone seeing your profile, location, or online status, try blocking them entirely, so you don’t have to lock down all of your privacy settings.
2. Change Group Privacy settings
Consider using the “My Contacts Except…” option and creating a list of exceptions when choosing it from the Privacy menu displayed in the section above if you want to limit who sees what about you in a WhatsApp group.
3. Turn off media downloads
WhatsApp’s default option is to save your movies and pictures to the Camera Roll on your phone. Toggle off “Save to Camera Roll” in the Chats menu to disable this capability.
4. Disable Read Receipts
You can hide the fact that you’ve seen their messages. Tap the green slider next to “Read Receipts” in the Privacy menu until it becomes grey.
5. Turn on the screen lock
Change your screen lock settings to prevent others from seeing your messages while not looking at your phone. Choose “Screen Lock” from the Privacy menu and select one of four settings to determine how much time passes before the screen locks.
6. Make use of Face ID
You may use Face ID to unlock WhatsApp if your phone supports it. You may enable the option from the same page where you allow screen lock.
7. Disable Live Location
You’ll need to go into your phone’s settings for this, but on iOS and Android, you should be able to deactivate location services for the app.
How to Change WhatsApp Privacy Settings
By default, anybody may access your read receipts, last seen time, about section, and profile picture on WhatsApp. Furthermore, any status changes you make are visible to your contacts. You have complete control over your WhatsApp privacy settings, so you can quickly change any of them. And if someone makes you feel uneasy, you may permanently block them.
Every user has unique standards about their privacy. You may update and customize your privacy settings from the Account tab of WhatsApp.
1. If you’re using iOS, go to the bottom menu and hit the Settings icon. On Android, hit the three vertical dots in the upper right corner, then Settings. Go to Account > Privacy.
2. You can choose Last Seen, Profile Photo, About, or Groups to limit visibility. In addition, you may modify the appearance of each of these features to just your contacts. To completely hide it, tap My Contacts or Nobody. When you’re finished, tap Privacy in the upper left to return to the previous screen.
3. If you hide your Last Seen setting, you won’t be able to view anybody else’s either.
4. Select Status > My Contacts. Except to block some individuals from seeing your status or touch Only Share With to limit who may view your status. To return to the previous page, tap Privacy in the upper left corner.
5. If you enable WhatsApp to monitor your location and share it, you should stop sharing it across all chats. Tap Live Location > Stop Sharing > Stop Sharing (iOS) or STOP to do so (Android). To return, tap Privacy in the upper left corner.
6. Individual chats may also be configured to disable live location sharing. Enter the chat room and choose to Stop Sharing > Stop Sharing (iOS) or STOP (Android).
7. To manage the contacts, you’ve banned or wish to block, tap Blocked. Next, tap Add New and search or pick their name from your contacts to add a new banned person. To return, tap Privacy in the upper left corner.
8. Toggle the Read Receipts to the off position to prevent other users from seeing when you read their messages.
If you disable Viewed Receipts, the feature will be disabled throughout the whole app, so you won’t be able to see when people have read your messages (excluding group chats, which always have Read Receipts turned on).
How to Enable WhatsApp Two-Step Verification
Two-step verification adds a degree of protection to your account by requiring you to enter a PIN to confirm your identity.
1. On an iOS device, touch the Settings icon in the bottom menu. Next, press the three vertical dots in the upper right corner on an Android smartphone, then Settings.
2. Account > Two-Step Verification will appear.
3. Select Enable.
4. Enter a six-digit PIN that you can remember, which will be requested by WhatsApp when you register your phone number with the app. When you’re finished, tap Next in the upper right corner.
5. Enter your PIN again to confirm it.
6. Enter your email address if you need to reset your PIN in an emergency. Then, in the upper right corner, tap Next.
7. Enter your email address again to confirm, then press Done on the upper right.
On your smartphone, two-step verification will be activated. You may deactivate Two-Step Verification at any moment by going to your settings and changing your PIN or email address.
How to Enable WhatsApp Disappearing Messages
You may choose your chat messages to expire after 24 hours, seven days, or 90 days for further privacy. To use this function with a specific chat, open it, touch the other person’s name > Disappearing Messages > On, and choose a duration.
This function is generally enabled per chat, but you can make it the default by navigating to Settings > Account > Privacy > Default Message Timer and specifying how long you want your messages to remain visible.
Final Thoughts WhatsApp Privacy Settings
On this page, we explain how to Block contacts, Change Group Privacy settings, Disable media downloads, Turn off Read Receipts, Enable screen lock, Use Face ID and Turn off Live Location in WhatsApp Privacy Settings. Also, read how to use WhatsApp Web on PC, Mobile, and Tablet.
