WhatsApp leaves nothing when it comes to features. The Facebook-based company actively adds a host of items every month and maintains a level of simplicity. WhatsApp recently added a few useful features to its Android and iOS apps. These include WhatsApp Call Waiting, Text Reminder, Group Invitation Program, and much more. Other than that, we already know that WhatsApp messages are encrypted at last. But do you know the top privacy features of WhatsApp? Read on to find out more.
The WhatsApp’s Top 5 Privacy Features you should know about 2022
WhatsApp fingerprint lock
To provide users with an extra layer of security, WhatsApp has added a fingerprint lock feature to its Android app. It is noteworthy that this security feature was first introduced on iOS with Touch ID and Face ID support. To enable it on WhatsApp, go to Settings -> Account -> Privacy -> Fingerprint lock. If you enable WhatsApp feature “Fingerprint Lock”, we will ask you to verify the fingerprints stored on the OS. Read Again – WhatsApp security hacker can crash the app with a malicious message: Here’s how to save it
View: How to turn off fingerprint locking on WhatsApp
The feature comes with three options for “Automatically lock” application. The first is “immediately,” the second is “After a minute,” and the third is “After 30 minutes.” It should be noted that the WhatsApp fingerprint lock feature does not block calls, and only hides messages. The feature also allows users to enable or disable message content previews in notifications. Read also – WhatsApp Tip: How to hide conversations without deleting them
Hide the received media files
WhatsApp allows users to hide photos, videos and even audio files found on WhatsApp in the device’s default gallery. This feature allows you to do this in both individual and group discussions. The feature can be accessed by accessing the contact info page and clicking on the “Media Visibility” option. Here you will find the option to choose between No, Yes and Default, to display media in your gallery.
You can select a single preference base. The Default option is pre-set to display media files in the gallery. You can do the same in group discussions. While not a major factor it will still help to reduce the clutter caused by a series of unwanted photos shared in a WhatsApp group or a single friend.
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How to block contacts on WhatsApp
WhatsApp users can simply block (and report) their contacts or an unknown number. After blocking the user, you will not receive any messages or calls from him. The process of blocking someone on WhatsApp is very simple. You just need to open that user’s chat window, then press the three dot menu in the top right corner. Click ‘More’, then select the block option. You will find the option to open it in Settings> Account> Privacy> Blocked Contacts.
Separately, WhatsApp will immediately display a small notification in the chat window information to the user. This notice will notify the user when blocking or unlocking any specific contact. The report noted that this notification will only be visible to the user blocking another contact.
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Group invitation system
The messaging forum has recently added a group invitation system. This privacy option allows users to control who can add them to groups. Options include “Everyone”, “My Contacts”, and “External Contacts”. The second option means that the friends you have in your address book can add you to groups. The third one provides more control over who among the contacts you can add to the group. In those cases, an administrator who can add you to a group will be asked to send a private invitation for each chat.
WhatsApp adds new privacy settings for groups: Everything you need to know
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WhatsApp adds new privacy settings for groups: Everything you need to know
Privacy status
Lastly, WhatsApp offers you a dedicated Status section, similar to Instagram “News”. The company also added a Status Privacy menu, where you will find three options. The “My Contacts” option means that only your contacts will be able to check your WhatsApp status. The second option in the list “External Contacts,” was self-explanatory. The last one says, “Share Only,” which means you can share your status with a few selected friends.