WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion monthly active users. While many people use WhatsApp for basic messaging, there are a number of hacks and tricks that can take your messaging experience to the next level. In this blog post, we’ll explore 15 WhatsApp hacks and tricks you must know.
15 WhatsApp Hacks And Tricks You Must Know
#1. Pin important chats
Pinning important chats is a great way to keep your most important conversations at the top of your chat list. This is especially helpful if you have a lot of chats and don’t want to spend time searching for specific ones. Here’s how to pin important chats in WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp and go to your chat list.
- Find the chat you want to pin and swipe right on it.
- Tap on the “Pin” icon that appears on the right side of the screen.
- The chat will now appear at the top of your chat list with a pin icon next to it.
You can pin up to three chats at a time. If you want to unpin a chat, simply swipe right on it again and tap on the “Unpin” icon that appears. Pinned chats will stay at the top of your list even if you receive new messages in other chats. This makes it easy to access your most important conversations without having to search for them every time.
#2. Star important messages
Starring important messages is another useful feature of WhatsApp. It allows you to easily find and access important messages later on. Here’s how to star important messages in WhatsApp:
- Open the chat where the message you want to start is located.
- Long-press the message you want to start.
- Tap on the star icon that appears at the top of the screen.
Once you’ve starred a message, it will appear with a star icon next to it. You can view all your starred messages by going to the chat menu and selecting “Starred Messages.” This is a great way to keep track of important messages, such as addresses, phone numbers, or important notes.
To unstar a message, simply long-press the message again and tap on the star icon to remove it.
#3. Send messages to multiple people at once
Sending messages to multiple people at once is a useful feature if you want to share the same message with several people at the same time. Here’s how to send messages to multiple people at once in WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp and go to the chat list.
- Tap on the “New Chat” icon in the top right corner of the screen.
- Select “New Group”.
- Choose the people you want to add to the group by selecting them from your contacts list.
- Once you’ve selected all the people you want to add, tap on the “Create” button.
You can now send messages, photos, videos, and other types of media to everyone in the group at the same time. This is a great way to share updates or announcements with a large group of people quickly and efficiently.
It’s important to note that all members of the group can see each other’s messages, so make sure to only add people who are relevant to the conversation or announcement. Also, be respectful of people’s time and avoid spamming the group with unnecessary messages.
#4. Customize notification tones
Customizing notification tones is a great way to differentiate between messages from different contacts or groups. Here’s how to customize notification tones in WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp and go to the chat or group you want to customize the notification tone for.
- Tap on the name of the contact or group at the top of the screen.
- Scroll down and select “Custom Notifications”.
- Toggle the “Use Custom Notifications” option to “On”.
- Choose the notification tone you want to use for that contact or group.
- You can also customize the vibration pattern and notification light color for that contact or group.
Once you’ve customized the notification tone for a contact or group, you’ll be able to hear the difference between messages from that contact or group and other contacts or groups. This is a great way to stay on top of important conversations and messages.\
#5. Use WhatsApp Web
WhatsApp Web is a desktop version of WhatsApp that allows you to access your messages from your computer. Here’s how to use WhatsApp Web:
- Open a web browser on your computer and go to web.whatsapp.com.
- Open WhatsApp on your phone and tap on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.
- Select “WhatsApp Web” from the drop-down menu.
- Point your phone’s camera at the QR code on your computer screen to scan it.
- Once the QR code is scanned, your WhatsApp account will be linked to WhatsApp Web.
You can now access your WhatsApp messages, send and receive messages, and use all the features of WhatsApp on your computer. This is a great way to stay connected with your contacts and respond to messages quickly and efficiently, especially if you’re working on your computer for an extended period of time.
It’s important to note that WhatsApp Web requires a stable internet connection on both your phone and computer and you need to keep your phone connected to the internet for WhatsApp Web to work.
#6. Back up your chats
Backing up your chats is important to ensure you don’t lose your messages if you lose your phone or accidentally delete the app. Here’s how to back up your chats in WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp and go to the chat list.
- Tap on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.
- Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
- Tap on “Chats”.
- Select “Chat Backup”.
- Tap on “Back Up Now” to immediately back up your chats.
- You can also customize your backup settings, such as how frequently you want to back up your chats and whether you want to include videos in the backup.
Once you’ve backed up your chats, you can restore them on a new device by logging in to your WhatsApp account and selecting “Restore Chat History” when prompted. This will restore all your chats, including media files, to your new device.
It’s important to regularly back up your chats to ensure you don’t lose any important messages or media files. You can also set up automatic backups to ensure your chats are always backed up without having to remember to do it manually.
#7. Find out when your message was read
WhatsApp’s read receipt feature allows you to know when your message was read by the recipient. Here’s how to find out when your message was read in WhatsApp:
- Open the chat where you sent the message.
- Long-press on the message you want to check the read receipt for.
- Tap on the “Info” (i) icon on the top bar.
You will now see a pop-up window with information about the message, including the time it was delivered and the time it was read. If the recipient has turned off read receipts, you won’t be able to see when your message was read.
Knowing when your message was read can be useful, especially if you’re waiting for a response from someone. However, it’s important to respect people’s privacy and not demand immediate responses or constantly check if someone has read your message.
#8. Read a message without the other person knowing
Reading a message without the other person knowing can be useful if you want to take your time to respond or if you’re not ready to engage in a conversation. However, it’s important to note that WhatsApp does not have a built-in feature to hide your read receipts. Here are some workarounds that you can use:
- Airplane mode: When you receive a message, turn on Airplane mode on your phone before opening the message. This will disable the internet connection on your phone, allowing you to read the message without triggering the read receipt. Once you’ve read the message, close WhatsApp and turn off Airplane mode.
- Widget: If you have an Android phone, you can use a WhatsApp widget to read messages without opening the app. Simply long-press on the WhatsApp icon on your home screen and select “Widgets”. Choose the “WhatsApp 4×1” widget and add it to your home screen. This will display the most recent message in a widget that you can read without opening the app.
- Read notifications: On an iPhone, you can use the read notifications feature to read a message without opening the app. When you receive a message, you will see a preview of the message in the notification. Swipe left on the notification to mark it as read without opening the app.
It’s important to note that these workarounds may not always work and they may not be available on all devices. Additionally, if you frequently read messages without responding, it may lead to misunderstandings and miscommunications with your contacts.
#9. Use WhatsApp on multiple devices
WhatsApp has recently introduced a new feature that allows you to use WhatsApp on multiple devices simultaneously, without requiring your phone to be connected to the internet. Here’s how to use WhatsApp on multiple devices:
- Open WhatsApp on your main device and go to “Settings”.
- Tap on “Linked Devices” and select “Multi-Device Beta”.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to join the multi-device beta program.
- Once you’ve joined the program, you can link additional devices to your WhatsApp account. Simply open WhatsApp on the device you want to link and scan the QR code on your main device.
With multi-device support, you can use WhatsApp on your phone, tablet, and desktop at the same time. You can also use WhatsApp on a secondary phone without having to switch your SIM card back and forth. This feature is currently in beta and may not be available to all users yet.
It’s important to note that while using WhatsApp on multiple devices, your messages and media will be synced across all devices. Additionally, end-to-end encryption is still maintained, ensuring your messages remain secure and private.
Also Read: How to use the same WhatsApp account on two phones
#10. Mute group chats
Muting group chats can be useful if you’re part of a large group that sends a lot of messages or if you’re in a group that’s not relevant to you at the moment. Here’s how to mute group chats in WhatsApp:
- Open the group chat you want to mute.
- Tap on the group name at the top of the screen.
- Select “Mute notifications” from the menu.
- Choose the length of time you want to mute notifications (8 hours, 1 week, or 1 year).
- Optionally, you can select “Show notifications” if you want to receive silent notifications for messages, but not hear any notification sounds.
Once you’ve muted notifications for a group chat, you won’t receive any notification sounds or pop-ups when new messages are sent. You will still be able to see the new messages when you open WhatsApp and go to the group chat.
It’s important to note that muting a group chat doesn’t mean you’ve left the group. You will still be able to see the messages and participate in the group chat when you want to. Additionally, group admins may still be able to send you direct messages even if you’ve muted notifications for the group chat.
#11. Send GIFs
Sending GIFs in WhatsApp is a great way to add some fun and humor to your conversations. Here’s how to send GIFs in WhatsApp:
- Open the chat where you want to send the GIF.
- Tap on the emoji icon to access the emoji keyboard.
- Swipe left on the emoji keyboard to access the GIF library.
- Browse through the available GIFs or search for a specific one using the search bar.
- Tap on the GIF you want to send to add it to your message.
- Optionally, you can add text or other media to your message before sending it.
When you send a GIF in WhatsApp, it will play automatically in the chat window. The recipient will also be able to download and save the GIF to their device.
It’s important to note that not all devices and WhatsApp versions support sending and receiving GIFs. Additionally, sending large or high-quality GIFs may take longer to load and may use up more data.
#12. Reply privately
Sometimes you may want to reply to a specific message in a group chat, but you don’t want your response to be seen by everyone in the group. WhatsApp allows you to reply privately to a message in a group chat, without leaving the group or starting a separate chat. Here’s how to do it:
- Long press on the message you want to reply to.
- Tap on the three-dot menu icon that appears in the top right corner.
- Select “Reply privately” from the menu.
- Type your message in the new chat window that opens and hit send.
Your response will now be sent as a private message to the person who sent the original message, instead of being visible to everyone in the group.
It’s important to note that the person you’re replying to will still be able to see the original message in the group chat, but other group members won’t be able to see your private response. Additionally, this feature is only available in group chats and not in one-on-one conversations.
#13. Send messages without typing
WhatsApp has a feature called voice messaging, which allows you to send messages without typing. Instead, you can record a voice message and send it to your contacts. Here’s how to send voice messages in WhatsApp:
- Open the chat where you want to send a voice message.
- Tap and hold the microphone icon to start recording your message.
- Speak your message into the microphone.
- Release the microphone icon when you’re finished recording.
- Your message will be sent to the recipient as a voice message.
Voice messages can be up to two minutes long and can be sent to both individual contacts and groups. When you receive a voice message, you can play it by tapping on the play button in the message. You can also listen to voice messages through your phone’s earpiece if you want to keep your conversation private.
It’s important to note that voice messages are not end-to-end encrypted, meaning they can potentially be intercepted and listened to by third parties. Additionally, voice messages may take up more data than text messages, so it’s important to be aware of your data usage if you frequently send voice messages.
#14. Format messages
Formatting your messages can help you to emphasize certain words or phrases, make your messages easier to read, and add some visual interest to your conversations. Here’s how to format your messages in WhatsApp:
- Bold: To bold a word or phrase, add an asterisk (*) before and after the word or phrase. For example, hello will appear as hello.
- Italicize: To italicize a word or phrase, add an underscore (_) before and after the word or phrase. For example, hello will appear as hello.
- Strikethrough: To strikethrough a word or phrase, add a tilde (~) before and after the word or phrase. For example,
hellowill appear as hello. - Monospace: To change your text to a monospace font, add three backticks (`) before and after the text. For example,
hello
will appear as hello.
You can also combine these formatting options to create more complex styles, such as bold and italicized text. It’s important to note that these formatting options will only work on WhatsApp version 2.12.17 or later. Additionally, these formatting options may not work on older devices or on non-Android platforms.
#15. Schedule messages
Sometimes you may want to send a message at a specific time in the future, such as a birthday greeting or a reminder. WhatsApp doesn’t have a built-in feature to schedule messages, but there are third-party apps that can help you accomplish this. Here are some apps you can use to schedule messages on WhatsApp:
- SKEDit: This app allows you to schedule messages, emails, and social media posts. You can set up messages to be sent at specific times, and the app will automatically send them to you. SKEDit is available for Android and iOS devices.
- Scheduler for WhatsApp: This app is specifically designed for scheduling WhatsApp messages. You can set up messages to be sent at specific times and dates, and the app will automatically send them to you. The scheduler for WhatsApp is available for Android devices.
- WhatsApp Scheduler: This app also allows you to schedule WhatsApp messages. You can set up messages to be sent at specific times, and the app will automatically send them to you. WhatsApp Scheduler is available for Android devices.
It’s important to note that these apps may not be completely reliable, and there is always a chance that your scheduled messages may not be sent or may be sent at the wrong time. Additionally, some of these apps may require access to your WhatsApp account, which could potentially compromise your privacy and security. Use these apps at your own risk, and be sure to read the app’s terms and conditions before downloading and using them.
Conclusion:
These 15 WhatsApp hacks and tricks can help you get more out of the app and improve your messaging experience. Whether you’re looking to save time, improve your privacy, or stay connected with loved ones, these hacks and tricks can help you do just that. So give them a try and see how they can enhance your WhatsApp experience!