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(Pocket-lint) - There are present heaps of messaging services around, but WhatsApp has stacks of features and is highly wide utilized - the Facebook-owned app claims to person implicit 2 cardinal users worldwide, which is beauteous staggering.
So present are immoderate concealed tips you mightiness not cognize about, mixed successful with a fewer modular tips for those caller to WhatsApp.
WhatsApp wide tips and tricks
Send your determination to a contact
WhatsApp allows you to nonstop photos and videos to contacts, arsenic good arsenic stock a interaction oregon document, but you tin besides nonstop your location. This is precise useful if you're gathering a person somewhere, particularly if you opt for Share Live Location, which allows your interaction to spot your Live Location for the duration you take truthful they tin way you. Duration times are acceptable astatine 15 minutes, 1 hr oregon 8 hours.
iOS: Chat > Specific chat > Tap connected "+" to the near of the connection container > Location > Share Live Location > Select clip frame.
Android: Chat > Specific chat > Tap connected the paperclip to the close of the connection container > Location > Share Live Location > Select clip frame.
You tin spot everyone you are sharing your unrecorded determination with by opening Settings > Account > Privacy > Live Location.
Search each your chats
Someone mightiness person sent you their code oregon you mightiness retrieve talking astir a circumstantial programme oregon movie but you don't privation to scroll done each your messages to effort and find what you're looking for. At the apical of each your chats connected iOS determination is simply a hunt barroom if you propulsion down. On Android, there's a hunt icon.
You tin benignant thing into the hunt bar, from the commencement of a municipality sanction if you're looking for an code to a circumstantial connection and each the chats with that connection volition look beneath arsenic circumstantial messages. When you pat connected the Search bar, you volition besides spot a database of options, from Photos to Audio, allowing you to minimise your search.
Clicking connected a respective effect volition instrumentality you to that portion of the chat speech you had.
Search a circumstantial chat
If you privation to hunt a circumstantial chat alternatively than each of your chats, this is imaginable too. Maybe you had a speech astir a circumstantial gathering place, oregon they sent you their different interaction fig oregon their code for example.
iOS: Chats > Specific chat > Tap connected interaction info astatine the apical > Chat Search > Type successful the hunt barroom that appears astatine the apical of that circumstantial chat.
Android: Chats > Specific chat > Open the paper apical close > Search > Type successful the hunt barroom that appears astatine the apical of that circumstantial chat.
Make a video oregon dependable telephone utilizing WhatsApp
WhatsApp isn't conscionable for instant messages, you tin usage it to make video and dependable calls too. WhatsApp calling uses your net transportation alternatively than your plan's minutes.
iOS & Android: Chats > Specific chat > Press the telephone icon oregon video icon successful the apical close corner.
Find who you speech to most
Who is truly your favourite person? It mightiness not beryllium who you think. There is simply a mode to find the radical you nonstop the astir messages to and however overmuch retention each idiosyncratic takes up, among different things.
iOS & Android: Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage > You'll spot a database of contacts astatine the bottommost successful in bid of which is utilizing the astir storage.
Quickly delete each photos, GIFs, videos, messages oregon stickers from a definite chat
It's imaginable to delete each the messages, photos, oregon videos, GIFs, contacts, locations, dependable messages, documents and stickers successful 1 chat. For example, you tin delete each the messages successful a circumstantial chat oregon radical chat, but permission each the photos.
iOS & Android: Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage > Select Contact > Manage > Select > Tick the boxes adjacent to what you privation to delete (videos oregon images) > Tap connected the bin to delete.
It's imaginable to benignant by which files are taking up the astir room, the newest and the oldest if you pat the ellipse successful the bottommost near country aft you pat connected the contact.
Quickly reappraisal and delete items to assistance wide storage
WhatsApp has made it easier to negociate what is taking up retention connected your device. Not lone tin you spot which chats are astir retention arsenic above, but you tin besides spot which files are larger than 5MB and which files person been forwarded aggregate times.
iOS & Android: Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage. Under the Review and Delete Items conception you tin click connected either the larger than 5MB tab oregon the forwarded aggregate times tab and past prime the ones you privation to delete. As with the idiosyncratic chats, you tin benignant by tapping connected the ellipse successful the bottommost near corner.
Save your information allowance
If you've got a constricted information allowance, you don't privation WhatsApp munching it each away. Thankfully, you tin customise erstwhile media is allowed to download, arsenic good arsenic guarantee calls usage arsenic small information arsenic possible.
iOS & Android: Settings > Storage and Data > Media Auto-Download > Switch to Wi-Fi lone for each enactment to prevention your data.
Find retired however overmuch information you're using
If you're disquieted astir your information usage, you tin find retired precisely however overmuch you are using. You'll get a breakdown of full fig of sent and received messages, arsenic good arsenic information sent and received.
iOS & Android: Settings > Storage and Data > Network Usage.
Use WhatsApp connected the web and desktop
WhatsApp isn't constricted to your mobile phone. There's a web app that syncs everything from your telephone and there's a desktop app too. Go to https://web.whatsapp.com/ or download the desktop app from whatsapp.com/download/
You'll past request to unfastened WhatsApp connected your telephone > Settings > WhatsApp Web/Desktop > Scan the QR codification connected the browser oregon Desktop app > Follow the instructions.
Both the web and desktop app volition service up chats and alerts connected your computer, allowing you to reply rapidly and easily. Read much astir however it works successful our abstracted feature.
Change the wallpaper connected your WhatsApp chat screen
WhatsApp has a modular wallpaper, which volition look arsenic a inheritance connected each of your chats. You tin alteration this wallpaper though, with options including coagulated colours, your ain photos arsenic good arsenic a postulation of images from WhatsApp itself.
iOS: Settings > Chats > Chat Wallpaper > Choose Wallpaper Library, Solid Colours oregon Photos.
Android: Settings > Chats > Chat Wallpaper > Choose Wallpaper Library, Solid Colours, Gallery, Default oregon No Wallpaper.
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Turn connected Disappearing Messages
Turning connected Disappearing Messages volition marque immoderate caller messages successful a chat vanish aft 7 days. Remember the messages tin inactive beryllium saved elsewhere though. You tin read much astir Disappearing Messages successful our abstracted feature.
iOS & Android: Specific chat > Click connected the person's sanction astatine the apical of chat > Disppearing Messages > On.
Send a disappearing representation oregon video
It's imaginable to nonstop an representation oregon video that disappears erstwhile the recipient has viewed it once. This is large for photos of a password oregon slope details for illustration that incorporate delicate information. When the recipient closes your picture, it volition disappear, though remember, they tin screenshot. You tin work a full breakdown of the diagnostic successful our abstracted feature.
iOS: Specific chat > Tap connected the "+" adjacent to the connection input tract > Choose 'Camera' to instrumentality a photograph oregon 'Photo & Video Library' to prime a photograph > Choose the photograph > Tap connected the "1" adjacent to the bluish nonstop arrow > Press the bluish arrow to send.
Android: Specific chat > Tap connected the paperclip adjacent to the connection input tract > Choose 'Camera' to instrumentality a photograph oregon 'Gallery' to prime a photograph > Choose the photograph > Tap connected the "1" adjacent to the bluish nonstop arrow > Press the bluish arrow to send.
Require Face ID oregon Touch ID to unlock WhatsApp
If you privation treble information connected your WhatsApp chats, it's imaginable for iOS users to acceptable their WhatsApp relationship to necessitate Face ID oregon Touch ID authentication erstwhile opening WhatsApp, adjacent erstwhile your instrumentality is already unlocked.
You'll inactive beryllium capable to reply to messages from notifications and reply calls if WhatsApp is locked. It's besides imaginable to acceptable the duration of clip you privation the Screen Lock diagnostic to footwear in.
iOS: Settings > Account > Privacy > Screen Lock > Toggle connected Require Face ID / Require Touch ID > Select the clip duration (Immediately, aft a minute, aft 15 minutes oregon aft an hour).
How to spot and crook disconnected past seen
WhatsApp's past seen diagnostic allows you to spot erstwhile idiosyncratic past checked WhatsApp, arsenic good arsenic let users to spot erstwhile you past checked. If a interaction hasn't disabled past seen, it volition look nether their sanction astatine the apical of an unfastened chat. To disable past seen:
iOS & Android: Settings > Account > Privacy > Last Seen > Switch to Nobody.
Hide the bluish ticks
Those bluish ticks tin get you successful a full satellite of trouble, particularly erstwhile you don't reply instantly and idiosyncratic sees you person work their messages. You tin crook them off, but it's worthy noting that if you do, you won't get work receipts for your messages either.
Apple users: If you get Siri to work the message, the bluish ticks won't look truthful this could beryllium a bully mode to work a connection without the sender knowing you have. Android users: If you work your messages successful notifications, the sender won't get the bluish ticks.
iOS: Settings > Account > Privacy > Toggle disconnected Read Receipts.
Android: Settings > Account > Privacy > Untick Read Receipts.
Stop radical seeing your messages
Ever passed your telephone to a person and instantly panicked astir the messages they mightiness spot travel through? Yeah, we haven't either. For those who have, you tin crook disconnected connection previews connected iOS truthful lone the contact's sanction volition appear, alternatively than their beingness story, oregon you tin crook disconnected notifications altogether.
iOS: Settings > Notifications > Toggle disconnected Show Preview / Settings > Notifications > Toggle disconnected Show Notifications.
Android offers a scope of notification controls. Within the WhatsApp app itself, you tin crook disconnected precocious precedence notifications - those that volition pop-up astatine the apical of the screen. Or you tin power the notifications astatine a strategy level to support details backstage oregon region them completely.
Android: Settings > Notifications > Toggle disconnected Use precocious precedence notifications.
Hide your illustration picture
You mightiness not privation everyone to spot your illustration picture, particularly if you're portion of respective groups wherever you don't cognize everyone successful the group. Or possibly you conscionable fancy being a small mysterious for the day. Either way, you tin take if everyone, no-one, oregon lone your contacts spot your picture.
iOS & Android: Settings > Account > Privacy > Profile Photo.
How to artifact a WhatsApp contact
There are plentifulness of reasons wherefore you mightiness privation to artifact a interaction truthful we won't inquire why. We volition conscionable fto you cognize that if you artifact a contact, you won't beryllium capable to nonstop oregon person messages, oregon marque oregon person calls from them and adjacent if you unblock them, you won't spot immoderate messages sent to you whilst they were blocked.
iOS & Android: Chats > Specific chat > Tap connected interaction taxable astatine the apical > Scroll down to the bottommost > Block Contact.
Stop images and video appearing successful your gallery
Sharing photos and video connected WhatsApp is great, but you mightiness not privation it added to your phone's gallery. On Android, a folder is created successful the assemblage by default, portion connected iOS, it saves to your camera roll. If you don't privation that, you tin crook it off.
iOS: Settings > Chats > Toggle disconnected Save to Camera Roll.
Android: Settings > Chats > Toggle disconnected Show Media successful Gallery.
Change automatic image/video redeeming preferences for circumstantial chats
It's besides imaginable to alteration the automatic representation and video preferences for circumstantial chats. You mightiness privation to marque definite images are ever saved from your household for example, portion you'd similar not to person each images from a radical chat successful your assemblage oregon camera roll.
All chats are acceptable to default (off) unless you alteration them individually but determination is the enactment to ever prevention images and videos from a interaction oregon ne'er prevention them.
iOS: Chat > Specific chat > Tap connected interaction oregon taxable astatine apical of show > Save to Camera Roll > Set to Always oregon Never.
Download and presumption your WhatsApp information report
If you privation to download and presumption the information Facebook-owned WhatsApp collects connected you, you tin download and presumption a information report.
iOS and Android: Settings > Account > Request Account Info > Request Report.
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WhatsApp Chats tips and tricks
Reference and reply to a circumstantial message
Ever been talking astir aggregate things successful a WhatsApp chat and request to reply to a circumstantial message? WhatsApp allows you to reply to a peculiar message, presenting it supra your reply to marque it casual for the idiosyncratic oregon radical you are messaging to spot what you are replying to.
iOS: Chats > Specific chat > Specific connection > Swipe near to close connected connection > Type successful your reply and deed send.
Android: Chats > Specific chat > Specific connection > Long Press > Hit reply.
Reply to a radical connection privately
It's imaginable to reply to a radical connection privately successful your one-to-one chat, without having to find the one-to-one chat you person with that peculiar person.
iOS: Press and clasp a connection successful a radical chat > Select More > Reply Privately. The connection volition look successful your one-to-one chat with the substance container below, arsenic it does if you reply to a circumstantial connection similar above.
Android: Press and clasp a connection successful a radical chat > Select the 3 buttons successful the apical close country > Reply Privately. The connection volition look successful your one-to-one chat with the substance container below, arsenic it does if you reply to a circumstantial connection similar above.
Turn words bold, italic oregon strikethrough
Sometimes definite words request more emphasis and shouty caps conscionable don't chopped it. Don't worry, WhatsApp allows you to marque whichever words oregon phrases you privation bold, italic, oregon strikethrough them altogether.
iOS & Android: Add an asterisk either broadside of the connection oregon operation for *bold*. Add an underscore either broadside of the connection oregon operation for _italic_. Add a tildes to either broadside of the connection oregon signifier for ~strikethrough~.
Send a dependable message
Don't person clip to constitute retired a lengthy reply oregon conscionable can't beryllium bothered to? No problem. WhatsApp allows you to nonstop dependable messages to your contacts which is large if you're walking determination for example, making changeless typing a spot of a pain.
iOS & Android: Chats > Specific chat > Tap the microphone connected the close of the connection container > Press and clasp the microphone portion you grounds your message. Warning, it nonstop automatically aft you assistance your digit off.
Send a dependable enactment without hands
If you privation to nonstop a dependable enactment connected WhatsApp, alternatively than penning retired a message, you tin property and clasp the microphone connected the close of the connection input box. It's besides imaginable to fastener the microphone fastener down truthful you tin grounds your connection without having to clasp your phone.
iOS & Android: Chats > Specific chat > Tap the microphone connected the close of the connection container > Press and clasp the microphone > Swipe up to the lock. The microphone volition past beryllium locked connected grounds until you nonstop the message.
Speed up playback of a dependable message
You tin velocity up playback of a dependable connection by 1.5x oregon 2x, allowing you to perceive to longer messages quicker. It's elemental to bash and it doesn't alteration the transportation of the person's voice.
iOS & Android: Chats > Specific chat > Tap the play icon adjacent to the dependable connection you privation to velocity up > Tap connected the 1x icon that appears to marque it 1.5x > Tap 1.5x to marque it 2x faster > Tap the 2x icon to alteration backmost to 1x.
Mark chats arsenic unread
Ever been retired and about, work a chat and past wholly forgot to reply? We bash it each the time. There is simply a mode to people important chats with dot to punctual you to spell backmost to it though.
iOS: Chats > Swipe near to close > Mark arsenic Unread.
Android: Long property chat > Open Menu > Mark arsenic Unread.
Pin a chat to the top
If you're prone to forgetting to reply to messages, you tin besides pin a chat truthful it appears astatine the apical of each your chats, including supra caller and unread chats, alternatively than conscionable marking it arsenic unread. It's lone imaginable to pin 3 chats though truthful don't get excessively complacent with your replying.
iOS: Chats > Swipe near to close > Pin Chat.
Android: Long property chat > Press the pin astatine the apical of the screen.
Mute a chat oregon radical chat
Group chats tin beryllium the worst. You mightiness not beryllium capable to permission the conversation, but you tin mute notifications truthful you aren't awakened each clip idiosyncratic throws successful their 2 cents.
iOS: Chats > Open the radical chat / chat > Tap the taxable to get the Group Info / Contact Info surface > Mute > Select however agelong you privation to mute it for.
Android: Chats > Open chat > Menu fastener > Mute.
Archive your chats
Archive Chat allows you to fell a speech from your Chats screen. It does not delete the chat - it conscionable allows you to region it from your main chat surface without losing it, helping you organise your conversations.
You tin archive groups oregon idiosyncratic chats, and they volition vanish until you propulsion down from the apical of the Chats show and tap the Archived Chats tab. You tin besides archive each chats.
iOS: Chats > Specific chat > Swipe close to near > Archive / Settings > Chats > Archive All Chats.
Android: Chats > Long property connected chat > Press the archive folder astatine apical close of the screen
Back up your chats
To marque definite you don't suffer immoderate of your chats if you suffer your instrumentality oregon you power devices, marque definite you backmost up your chats to iCloud oregon Google Drive. Unfortunately if you are switching betwixt iOS and Android and vice versa, determination is nary elemental mode to determination your chats implicit truthful beryllium prepared to suffer them. Also, beryllium alert that archived chats are nary longer encrypted.
iOS & Android: Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now.
Clear each chats
If you privation to support each the contacts you are chatting with connected your WhatsApp but you privation to wide each your messages, WhatsApp gives you an casual enactment to bash this.
iOS: Settings > Chats > Clear All Chats.
Delete each chats
Want a cleanable WhatsApp slate? Start from scratch by deleting each of your chats. It means you'll get escaped of everything though, not conscionable the contented of the chats but you'll person to commencement a caller chat for each interaction too.
iOS: Settings > Chats > Delete All Chats.
Delete oregon wide a circumstantial chat
If you privation to wide oregon delete a circumstantial chat without losing each of your chats, past it's imaginable to bash this too.
iOS: Chats > Specific chat > Swipe close to near > Tap the 3 dots > Clear Chat / Delete Chat.
Android: Chats > Specific chat > Tap the paper apical close > More > Clear Chat
Bookmark important messages
Some messages are much important than others. Whether it's a day you request to remember, oregon a bully edifice you've been recommended. It's imaginable to bookmark these messages and find them each easy successful the Starred Messages section.
iOS: Chats > Specific chat > Specific connection > Double pat oregon clasp down and property star.
Android: Chats > Specific chat > Specific connection > Hold down and property star.
Delete a circumstantial connection wrong a chat
Just arsenic you tin prima a circumstantial connection wrong a chat, you tin besides delete a circumstantial connection wrong a chat. You tin besides "delete for everyone" but you person to bash this wrong 1 hour, 8 minutes and 16 seconds.
Choosing delete for everyone volition besides effect successful a connection appearing successful the chat saying the connection has been deleted which though looks suspicious, could beryllium amended than immoderate connection you sent successful the archetypal place.
iOS & Android: Chats > Specific chat > Press and clasp connected circumstantial connection you privation to delete > Press Delete.
Send a nationalist connection privately
Ever had a escaped evening and wanted to inquire respective of your friends if they are astir without having to unfastened up each chat to ask them separately?
You tin nonstop a broadcast connection to a database of contacts with it appearing arsenic though you've asked them individually. Great for redeeming time, unspeakable if they each reply yes.
iOS: Chats > Broadcast Lists > New List > Add contacts.
Android: Chats > Menu > New Broadcast.
Find retired however agelong you've been ignored for
There is thing much annoying than seeing those bluish ticks look without a reply pursuing soon after. If you privation to torture yourself a small much and find retired erstwhile your connection was really work and however agelong you've been ignored for, you can. We don't counsel it though.
iOS: Chats > Specific chat > Specific connection > Swipe close to left.
Android: Chats > Specific chat > Specific connection > Press and clasp > Tap the info "i" icon astatine the top.
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WhatsApp convenience and notification tips and tricks
Get Siri to work your past message, reply oregon nonstop a new message
Apple users tin get Siri to work immoderate unread WhatsApp messages, erstwhile you person followed the steps to springiness the idiosyncratic assistant access. You tin besides get Siri to reply to the connection with your dependable oregon commencement a caller connection to a contact.
iOS: "Hey Siri, work my past WhatsApp message" > "Hey Siri, nonstop a WhatsApp connection to [contact]"
See caller chats without opening WhatsApp
Apple users tin see which contacts they have unread messages from without opening the WhatsApp app by adding the WhatsApp Recent Chats widget to their device. Up to 4 of your latest chats volition look wrong the caller chats widget erstwhile you swipe near to close from your main location surface oregon fastener screen.
The widget shows the circular illustration representation icon with a fig of however galore unread chats you person from that peculiar contact. You tin past click connected the chat you privation to work and WhatsApp volition unfastened connected that circumstantial chat.
iOS: Swipe near to close from your fastener surface oregon your main location surface > Scroll down to the Edit icon astatine the bottommost > Add the WhatsApp Recent Chats icon > Rearrange the bid of your widgets.
Customise notifications
There mightiness beryllium definite contacts you privation to cognize instantly if they are calling oregon messaging you. To marque definite they don't blend into the crowd, you tin alteration their circumstantial alert tones truthful you recognise erstwhile that peculiar idiosyncratic has sent you a connection oregon is WhatsApp calling you.
iOS & Android: Chats > Specific chat > Tap connected interaction sanction astatine apical > Custom Tone.
Get shortcuts to circumstantial conversations
Do you person a fewer other peculiar radical you speech to each the clip via WhatsApp? We bash too. You tin make a shortcut for circumstantial conversations connected Android, making it easier to entree those chats you request each the time.
Android: Chats > Specific chat > Menu > More > Add Shortcut or Chats > Press and clasp idiosyncratic chat > Menu > Add Chat Shortcut.
Add dates to your calendar automatically
If you're prone to forgetting dates mentioned successful assorted chats, it's imaginable to automatically make an lawsuit straight from WhatsApp connected iOS.
iOS: Press and clasp day wrong chat > Create Event.
Writing by Britta O'Boyle. Originally published connected 30 June 2016.
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