WhatsApp is simple. You type out a message and hit send. Come to think of it, that’s how most of the population communicate as well. We will discuss how to become a whatsApp guru with 7 Tricks.
With any tech, there are hidden features and tips that can make the experience a more pleasant one. Don’t want anyone to see your profile picture? Done. Sharing your live location? Easy. The problem is, WhatsApp doesn’t always make these features and settings easy to find. That’s why we’re here to turn you into a WhatsApp guru.
How To Become A WhatsApp Guru With 7 Tricks
1. Turn off the blue ticks
Sometimes you’re busy. A message comes in, and you don’t have time to think out a response. But you’d also rather avoid hurting the sender’s feelings. So, you quickly type out a haphazard response that’ll leave the sender more confused than if they just finished watching Mulholland Drive.
Enter the ‘turn off read receipts’ button. Turn that off, and you’ll be free to read messages without any expectations of a reply. Be warned, though. They can’t see yours but you also can’t see theirs. Fair’s fair, after all.
How: Tap the three dots (also known as a kebab) at the top right of your screen. Click ‘Settings’ and then ‘Privacy’. Find ‘Read Receipts’ and set it to off. You’re set.
2. Become a WhatsApp Group spy
There’s no way to turn off blue ticks in a WhatsApp group. But the double-tick will only turn blue once the entire group chat has read a message. But if you’re awaiting a reply from a specific someone, there is a way to see who exactly has read your message in a group chat.
How: Android device users will need to hold their own message down, tap the kebab menu and click ‘Info’. For those on iOS, the process is simpler. Just swipe left on your message and voila. You can now see when the message was delivered and to who, as well as which members read the message and when.
3. Hide your ugly profile
Unless you look like Henry Cavill, not everybody needs to see what you looked like as you dragged yourself out of bed. Fortunately, you can hide your profile picture, either entirely or from a select few in your contact list.
How: Go into the settings and click ‘Privacy’. Click ‘Profile photo’ and there’ll be an option to allow ‘everyone’ to see the picture, or ‘nobody’. There’s also the choice of ‘my contacts’ or ‘my contacts except…’. Here’s where you’ll be able to set up a custom list of who can and can’t see your picture.
4. Helping stalkers (and your mom)
Sometimes people want to know you’ve arrived safely. Or they’re looking for an excuse to stalk you for a bit. Either way, you’ll eventually need to share your location with someone. You’ve got the choice of sending your current location or a live location.
How: On Android, click the ‘attach button’ (the little paperclip button) and tap ‘location’. Choose the option you’d prefer. Live locations can only be shared for 15 minutes, an hour, or eight hours. Sending your current location will do exactly that, though it’ll stay in the chat forever if you’d like it to.
5. How to disappear completely
Going incognito isn’t just for teenage boys anymore. WhatsApp’s version of the feature will let users stop letting others see when they were last online. It’s a rather handy way to ignore people until you see fit to grace them with your delightful presence.
How: Go to settings, hit ‘Privacy’, and head into ‘Last Seen’. Here, you have the choice of turning off your last seen for everyone, or a specially curated list of people. Happy ignoring!
6. Round up your BFFs (and track your data usage)
For some odd reason, WhatsApp stores and tracks the amount of data you share between each of your contacts. Essentially, you’re able to rank your best friends by how many GIFs and pictures you send them on a regular basis.
How: Go to Settings, hit ‘Storage and Data’ followed by ‘Manage storage’ and that’s it. It also serves as a pretty simple way of clearing out files.
READ: How To Save Yourself When You Have Heart Attack
7. Save data (on a call)
Times are tough and even more so when it comes to data prices. Fortunately, WhatsApp has a way to help you save some data when you’re out and about.
How: Go to settings, click ‘Storage and Data’ and set the ‘Use less data for calls’ to ON.