WhatsApp Hacks & Tricks – The ultimate WhatsApp guide
According to Statista, WhatsApp has around two billion users worldwide. In Switzerland, around 84 % of people aged 15 and over use the messenger app at least occasionally, according to a study by the Interessengemeinschaft elektronische Medien, IGEM. This makes the app the most popular messenger app in the country. Nevertheless, many people don’t know what the app actually has to offer and, above all, what data security is all about. Our ultimate WhatsApp guide is here to change that. Read on and learn everything you need to know about the popular messenger service.
Table of contents:
- How can I additionally protect my privacy?
- How to archive WhatsApp chats
- Mute status of the others
- How much data does WhatsApp use?
- Send photo on WhatsApp in full resolution
- Use WhatsApp on multiple devices
- Change number on WhatsApp
- New mobile phone – how to transfer your WhatsApp account
- Customer service via WhatsApp
- WhatsApp Pay – it is already possible in Brazil
How can I additionally protect my privacy?
Anyone who goes online and shares content with others must be able to protect their own privacy. Of course, this also applies to WhatsApp, where you share sensitive data with your contacts. Fortunately, the app offers various settings that guarantee additional protection online. If you want to know more about these settings, you can read about them in our WhatsApp privacy guide.
How to archive WhatsApp chats
You don’t want to see the name of a certain person or group constantly flashing on your mobile phone? You don’t have to block the chat on WhatsApp to do this. You have the option to archive the chat. This means that you will no longer receive any push messages and the chat will no longer be shown in the main window of the chat area. Instead, it is pinned at the top of the main window. You can click on the archived chats and read them when you are ready. They remain in the archive until you manually change them again.
Archive a chat
To archive, long-click on the desired chat in the main window. A menu bar appears at the top of the screen. Click on the box with the arrow – this symbol stands for archiving. To undo it, do the same in the archive area.
Restore WhatsApp archived chats
Click on Archived in the main window. All the chats you have archived now appear here. Now press and hold on the chat you want to restore until a menu bar appears. Select ‘Unarchive chat’ and it will be visible in the main window again.
Mute status of the others
If you no longer want to see the status messages of certain people at the top of your status bar, you can easily mute them. To do this, go to Status on WhatsApp and then hold your finger on the desired contact for a long time. A new window should open. Here you have the option to mute the status of this person.
Undo status mute
On the WhatsApp status page, scroll all the way down. There you will see the muted messages. Long-click on the desired contact again and unmute it by clicking on ‘Mute off’.
How much data does WhatsApp use?
Especially for those who only have a limited data volume available per month, it is important to know what the actual data consumption of WhatsApp is. Check the list here to see exactly what the individual WhatsApp functions consume in terms of data:
- Sending a message of approx. 200 characters: 1 KByte
- Receiving a message of approx. 200 characters: 2 KByte
- Sending or receiving photo (size 65 – 85 KByte) : 75 and 95 KByte
- Send position: 0.5 MByte
- Receive position: 20 KByte
- 1h via WhatsApp calls: 90 MByte.
- Video call: 5 MB per minute
- Voice messages: 0.2 MB per minute
How can I save data volume on WhatsApp?
Your available data volume is never enough until the end of the month? Then these WhatsApp settings could help you reduce your data consumption.
1. Deactivate WhatsApp auto download
If you do not change the settings, WhatsApp will download any pictures that are sent to you directly. This not only requires a lot of data volume, but also takes up a lot of storage space. To deactivate this auto-download, proceed as follows:
Open the settings and click on ‘Storage’ and ‘Data’. Under ‘Automatic download of media’, select ‘On mobile data connection’ and then remove the tick from photos, videos, etc. that are no longer to be downloaded automatically.
2. Settings reduced data consumption
WhatsApp gives you the option to reduce data consumption during voice calls. To do this, simply go to Settings, Data and Memory Usage and then activate the ‘Reduced Data Usage’ function. Sometimes, however, the voice quality of calls suffers as a result.
3. Allow backup only via wifi
To save data, your chat history should only be backed up via Wi-Fi. To do this, however, you have to go directly to the phone settings. Here you can select Wi-Fi for backups for Google Drive or iCloud.
Send photo on WhatsApp in full resolution
WhatsApp always sends pictures in a compressed version. This saves both storage space and data volume, but the quality of the sent photos decreases massively. To send pictures in the best possible quality, you must send them as a document. Proceed as follows:
Select the paperclip icon in the WhatsApp chat and then select the ‘Document’ option. Then search the smartphone memory for the photo you want to send.
iPhone Extra Step
If you have an iPhone, you must save the picture in the gallery via the ‘Share’ button in the files before sending it. This way you can send it as a file later without any problems.
Use WhatsApp on multiple devices
You can link and use your WhatsApp account with up to four devices at the same time. It is no longer necessary for your main device – your smartphone – to be connected to the internet.
Connect WhatsApp Web on PC or Mac
For Android, click on the three dots at the top; for iPhone, click on Settings and then on ‘Linked devices’. Select the device you want to link. On your PC or Mac, go to https://web.WhatsApp.com/. Scan the QR code there with your smartphone and you can use WhatsApp in the browser of your PC or Mac.
Connect WhatsApp desktop
Go to WhatsApp.com and download the WhatsApp desktop application on your PC or Mac. Now open WhatsApp on your smartphone. For Android, click on the three dots at the top, for iPhone click on Settings and then on ‘Linked devices’. Select the device you want to link. On your PC or Mac, go to https://web.WhatsApp.com/. Scan the QR code there with your smartphone and you can use WhatsApp Desktop on your PC or Mac.
Change number on WhatsApp
You have a new phone number but don’t want to lose your old WhatsApp account? No problem, because you can easily update your account number. Go to the WhatsApp settings and click on ‘Account’. There you can select the option ‘Change number’. When you change your number, your account information will be transferred to your new phone number. However, you can decide whether your contacts should be informed about your number change or not. But: Your group chats will automatically be informed about the number change, even if you do not want to inform your contacts.
New mobile phone – how to transfer your WhatsApp account
You’ve bought a new smartphone but don’t want to lose your old WhatsApp account and its chats? You don’t have to. You can easily transfer all your conversations and contacts to your new smartphone. All you need to do is create a backup of your data beforehand. Note: The procedures are different for iOS and Android. If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide, you can find it here in our WhatsApp data transfer guide.
How can I delete WhatsApp?
If you definitely want to remove your WhatsApp account, then uninstalling the app is not enough. The account will still be there. However, the account can also be deleted for good, but this cannot be undone. So think carefully before you continue.
If you still want to remove your WhatsApp account, follow these steps: Open the WhatsApp settings, click on ‘Account’ and then ‘Delete account’. Then you just have to enter your number and click on the red ‘Delete my account’ button.
WhatsApp Business
For a while now, WhatsApp has been offering special functions for businesses in the form of a spin-off app called WhatsApp Business. The main aim here is to facilitate communication between customers and service providers. The app is available for download free of charge. In our WhatsApp Business Guide, we explain exactly which functions you can benefit from here. Businesses that offer products can also benefit from the shopping button on WhatsApp. You can find details about this here in our article on shopping on WhatsApp.
Recognise chain letters on WhatsApp and react correctly
“Forward this message to at least 10 people!” This is what many chain messages on WhatsApp say, with the aim of reaching as many people as possible. These demands are often also linked to threats that terrible things will happen if they are not sent. Or a reward is promised that you will never get. Often these messages are annoying but harmless. Nevertheless, there are also Trojans or even subscription traps among the numerous chain letters.
Tips on recognising chain letters
Besides the usual forwarding prompts, there are other indications that it is a chain letter. WhatsApp helps you recognise chain letters by marking them with ‘forwarded’ or ‘forwarded frequently’. Incorrect language and suspicious links in the message are also clues that this is a chain letter.
What to do in case of a WhatsApp chain message?
You have received a suspicious WhatsApp message and have now identified it as a chain letter. What should you do now? It’s best to ignore it and delete it immediately. Under no circumstances should you forward it. There is one thing you should never do with WhatsApp chain messages: click on links. If you know the sender of the message well, you can also inform them that it is a chain letter and that the link may lead to subscription traps. If you don’t know the sender, block the number immediately and report the account to WhatsApp as spam.
Are there any concerns with WhatsApp use?
Although WhatsApp is probably one of the most popular chat apps in the world, its security is questioned time and again. The issue is always data protection. Here are ways WhatsApp puts your privacy at risk:
- WhatsApp requires numerous access rights – both on Android and iOS. For example, WhatsApp wants to access your location, camera and microphone, or read and receive your text messages.
- Any data you entrust to WhatsApp is briefly cached by the chat service. This includes chats, photos, videos, phone calls and all profile data.
- However, WhatsApp assures here that no one has access to the stored material, including themselves.
- WhatsApp, as we know, belongs to Facebook. A company that is known to sell its users’ information and data to third parties. WhatsApp says that this would not happen with their app, but you cannot be 100% sure.
Create a data extract from WhatsApp
You want to know exactly what data WhatsApp has collected from you? You have the right to request a data extract from the chat service. It’s very easy: Select the account option in the WhatsApp settings. Then go to ‘Request account info’ and select ‘Request report’. WhatsApp will be informed and should send you the data extract in up to three days.
What are WhatsApp alternatives?
Because of the privacy issues just discussed, many WhatsApp users are looking for an alternative chat app that handles user information better. Fortunately, there are many of them. If you want to get rid of WhatsApp, you can find a list of the best WhatsApp alternatives in our blog post.
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