WhatsApp with more than 2 billion active users, is a highly popular messaging application used globally. While most people are familiar with the basics of the app, there are several hidden tricks and features that can make the user experience more efficient and enjoyable. Here are some WhatsApp tricks that you may not know about:
- Pinning Chats: If you have certain contacts or group chats that you frequently communicate with, you can pin them to the top of your chat list for easy access. Simply press and hold the chat you want to pin, then tap the "pin" icon that appears at the top of the screen.
- Custom Notifications: You can set custom notification tones for specific chats or groups, so you can easily distinguish between messages from different contacts. To do this, open the chat, tap on the contact or group name at the top of the screen, then tap "Custom Notifications".
- Formatting Text: You can format your text in WhatsApp by using certain symbols. For example, putting an asterisk (*) before and after a word or phrase will make it bold, while putting an underscore (_) before and after a word or phrase will make it italicized.
- Starred Messages: You can "star" important messages for easy reference later. Simply press and hold the message you want to star, then tap the "star" icon that appears at the top of the screen. You can view all of your starred messages by tapping the three dots in the top right corner of the main screen, then selecting "Starred Messages".
- Group Admin Controls: If you are the admin of a group chat, you have certain controls over the chat. You can add or remove members, change the group name and photo, and adjust group settings such as message notifications and media visibility.
- Broadcast Lists: You can send a message to multiple contacts at once without creating a group chat by using the broadcast list feature. Simply create a new broadcast list and select the contacts you want to send the message to.
- Two-Factor Authentication: WhatsApp now offers two-factor authentication to provide an extra layer of security for your account. To trigger it, go to Settings > Account > Two-step verification.
- Status Privacy: You can control who can see your WhatsApp status updates by adjusting your privacy settings. You can choose to share your status with everyone, only your contacts, or select contacts.