WhatsApp security tips: Enable these 5 privacy settings before it's too late

Worried about your privacy on WhatsApp? Here are five essential settings that will help protect your personal information from unwanted access.

WhatsApp has transformed from a simple messaging app to a comprehensive platform with features like group calls, stories, payments, and more. As the app continues to grow, so does its focus on privacy. With billions of active users, it’s essential to protect your account from unauthorised access and safeguard your conversations. If you're concerned about your privacy on WhatsApp, there are specific settings you can adjust to ensure your information remains secure. Here are five crucial privacy features that can help protect your account and your chats.

Follow these WhatsApp privacy settings to secure your chats and control who can contact you. (REUTERS)

By MD Ijaj Khan

Ijaj Khan is a technology journalist and Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, with over three years of experience covering the consumer technology industry. His work spans smartphones, laptops, wearables, gaming, appliances and AI - from hands-on reviews, comparison and buying guides to breaking news and in-depth features that help readers cut through the noise and make informed decisions. Before joining HT Tech, he worked with Jagran New Media, where he sharpened his instincts for fast-paced digital reporting. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Whether he's testing the latest flagship smartphone, tracking a major AI announcement, or putting a gaming laptop through its paces, Ijaj approaches every story with the same goal - making technology feel relevant and easy to understand for everyday users, not just enthusiasts. When he's not in front of a screen for work, he's usually travelling to a new city, hunting for great food, or keeping tabs on what's next in tech before everyone else catches on.

Read moreRead less

1. End-to-End Encrypted Backups

WhatsApp now offers end-to-end encrypted backups, which ensure that your chats and media are protected when stored in the cloud. Whether you're using Google Drive on Android or iCloud on iPhone, this feature ensures that only you can access your backups. Even WhatsApp, Google, or Apple won’t be able to read your backup contents.

To activate this feature, open WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup, and select End-to-End Encrypted Backup. You’ll need to create a password or a 64-digit encryption key. Once set, WhatsApp will encrypt your backups, securing them from unauthorised access.

2. Advanced Chat Privacy

WhatsApp’s Advanced Chat Privacy settings offer additional security for individual or group chats. This feature prevents users from exporting or saving media from these chats to their devices, providing a higher level of privacy for sensitive conversations.

To enable it, tap on the chat name, select Advanced Chat Privacy, and configure your settings to prevent unwanted access to your chats.

3. Two-Step Verification

Two-step verification adds an extra layer of protection to your WhatsApp account. Once enabled, WhatsApp will require a six-digit PIN to register your phone number on a new device.

To activate it, open WhatsApp, tap on the three dots in the top-right corner, go to Settings > Account > Two-step verification, and follow the prompts to set up your PIN.

You can also add an email address to reset your PIN if needed. This security measure ensures that no one can easily access your account without the PIN.

4. Control Who Can Add You to Groups

WhatsApp’s Group Privacy feature lets you control who can add you to group chats. By default, anyone with your phone number can add you to a group, but you can limit this by selecting one of three options: Everyone, My Contacts, or My Contacts Except (to exclude specific people). If someone tries to add you to a group without your permission, they’ll be prompted to send you an invitation instead.

To enable this, go to Settings > Privacy > Groups and choose your preferred setting.

5. Hide Your Last Seen and Online Status

If you prefer not to share your Last Seen or Online status with everyone, WhatsApp allows you to hide this information from selected contacts or all users.

To enable this, navigate to Settings > Privacy > Last Seen and Online, and choose whether to hide it from specific contacts or everyone. This setting also affects who can see when you’re online. You can adjust it to suit your privacy preferences.

In short, these settings are simple to enable but offer significant improvements to your privacy on WhatsApp. By activating these features, you can maintain control over your data and limit unnecessary exposure while using the app.

Mobile finder: iPhone 16 LATEST price, specs and all details