The 12 best hidden WhatsApp features you should know

Looking for ways to improve your WhatsApp game on your android phone or iPhone? We support you. For example, deploy now is a new setting that will automatically delete your messages after one week. It’s a Snapchat-like feature, sure, but it’s welcome on other platforms as well.

Or how about using WhatsApp on your computer? Yes, it is possible and it is incredibly easy to set up and use. Below you will find tips on all kinds of hidden features and tricks in WhatsApp.

1. Format the text to add some zest to your messages

WhatsApp allows you to bold, italicize or strike through text on the fly. To do this, you will need to add a couple of special characters before and after the text you want to format.

TO bold font text in WhatsApp, use an asterisk (* bold *); italicize text with an underscore (_italics_); Create strikethrough text with tildes (~ strikethrough ~).

2. make your messages disappear

WhatsApp is currently rolling out a new feature that allows you to activate disappearing messages for specific conversations. When enabled, all your messages will disappear from a chat after seven days.

Activate Disappearing Messages by tapping the contact or chat name at the top of the screen. Please select Disappearing messages from the options list, and then touch In.

Note that the images you send or receive are automatically saved to your or recipient’s phone, so even though the photo message will disappear, the actual image can still be saved.

3. Highlight a message to make it easier to find later

Starring a message creates a convenient way to go back to a meaningful message, phone number, address, or article link sent to you by a friend. Long-press on the message and then tap the star icon. A small star icon will be placed next to the message so that you can easily identify it when you scroll through the conversation.

You can also view your starred messages on an iPhone ($ 599 at Apple), by going to the Settings tab and selecting Featured posts. Android users should tap the Menu button and then Featured posts.

4. Clean up your storage space and see who you talk to the most

Are you curious to know who is your best friend on WhatsApp? It is easy to find out.

On your iPhone or Android phone, go to Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage. A list of contacts will appear, in order of who is using the most storage on your phone. Tap on each contact to see more detailed statistics such as number of exchanged messages, images, and GIFs.

WhatsApp’s new storage section makes it easy to get rid of large files that take up space on your phone, as well as giving you a way to see who you chat with the most.

5. View message details

Ever wonder what time a message was delivered or read? Swipe left on a message you sent to see those stats on your iPhone. Android users can press and hold a message, then tap the menu button followed by information.

6. Mute a conversation

When heading to a movie or meeting, use WhatsApp’s mute feature to mute a chatty group conversation or a friend who doesn’t understand that you are busy.

Android users can long-press a chat and then tap the crossed-out speaker icon at the top of the screen. IPhone users can swipe left in conversation, then tap the three-dot button followed by Mute.

You can choose to mute for 8 hours, a week, or always.

7. Hide your last seen status

Sometimes it is too much pressure to know that people can see when you were last online and it makes you feel like you have to reply to pending messages.

Don’t want your random friends or contacts to know your “last seen” time? Open Settings > Bill > Privacy > Last seen.

Then choose from Everyone, My Contacts, or Nobody.

8. Disable read receipts

Going one step further, you can disable read receipts on WhatsApp. This will prevent other users from knowing that you have read a message.

Open Settings > Bill > Privacy and uncheck the box or slide the switch next to Read receipts at the Off position.

Note: Disabling this feature will also prevent you from seeing when a friend has read your message. However, group chats will continue to use read receipts.

9. Don’t save photos, videos by default

If you prefer that WhatsApp does not save all the photos and videos it receives on your camera roll, taking up space and saturating your own photos, turn off the automatic saving.

On an iPhone, open Settings > Chats and turn off Save to camera roll. On Android, go to open Settings> Chats and turn off Media visibility.

10. Use WhatsApp on a computer

Sitting in front of your computer and using a full keyboard and mouse is a much better experience when you’re juggling a lot of different conversations or a long chat with an old friend. And thanks to the web version of WhatsApp, the apps for PC or Mac, you can do that with very little effort.

We guide you through the entire process, which takes 3 minutes maximum.

11. Receive personalized notifications

Instead of having the same alert sound for every incoming message, you can set custom alerts for individual contacts. Doing so will make it easier to find out who texted you without looking at your phone.

Android users should touch the Menu icon when viewing a chat thread, followed by View contact > Custom Notifications, check the box, and then finish setting it up.

For those using WhatsApp on an iPhone, tap on the contact’s name when viewing a chat thread, then Custom tone.

12. Export a conversation

You can export a conversation if you need to save it. When viewing a conversation, Android users should tap the Menu button followed by More > Export chat.

On an iPhone, the process involves viewing a chat thread, tapping the contact’s name at the top of the screen, then scrolling to the bottom of the Contact Information page, and selecting Export Chat.

Both devices give you the option to export with or without attached media.

WhatsApp is a popular chat app, but if you are looking for something else to use, I have some options for you. IPhone owners can always take advantage of iMessage, which has many of the same features as WhatsApp. Android owners have seen Messages app receives some significant updates over the years as well.