How to get started with WhatsApp?

WhatsApp started as an alternative to SMS but now supports sending and receiving a variety of media along with the text. Sharing photos, videos, documents, locations as well as voice calls has become much easier through WhatsApp. WhatsApp messages and calls are secured with end-to-end encryption, meaning no third party including WhatsApp can read them. This makes it the perfect choice for your personal and private conversations. So let’s see how to use it.

Before getting started with WhatsApp you need to download it. So to download it from Google Play store click here and from Apple App store click here.

How to start chats on WhatsApp?

WhatsApp has become very popular over the years. It is not just because it is safe and secure but also because of the dozen of features it provides. So let us discuss the most important tools and functions.

Add your contacts:

WhatsApp quickly and easily recognizes which of your contact is using WhatsApp by accessing your phone’s address book. If you can’t see your contacts, make sure you have allowed WhatsApp to access your phone’s contacts in your phone’s “Settings”. (Settings-> Apps-> App Permission).

Start a chat:

If you’ve freshly installed WhatsApp, you won’t have any conversations listed under the “Chats” tab. Instead, tap the new ‘Chat’ button at the bottom right and choose a contact from the list that opens. For a group chat, tap the “New Group” option at the top and then choose a contact to invite to the chat.

Chat tools:

During a chat, you can use several tools to add content. The smiley face icon in the text box lets you add various emojis and the camera lets you add or take a photo. Tap the paperclip icon at the top to attach a document, photo, recording, location, or a contact to a message. Tapping the phone starts a VoIP call.

Deleting messages:

Open WhatsApp and go to the chat containing the message you wish to delete. Tap and hold the message and then tap the Trash can icon on top of the chat screen and select “Delete”. Optionally, you can tap several messages to delete multiple messages at the same time.

Block contacts:

You can stop receiving WhatsApp messages, calls, and status updates from certain contacts by blocking them. Tap the Menu Button -> Settings -> Accounts -> Privacy -> Blocked contacts. Tap the add contact icon and then select the contact you wish to block from the list. Alternatively, you can also go to the chat of the person you want to block. Click on the three dots at the upper right corner of the screen -> More -> Block. Confirm that you want to block the person and they’re blocked.

Privacy Settings:

By default, any WhatsApp user can see your read receipts, last seen status, about info, and profile photo. Your contacts can also see your status. To change these settings, go to WhatsApp -> Menu Button -> Settings -> Accounts -> Privacy. If you don’t share your ‘Last seen’, you won’t be able to see else’s.

Get started with WhatsApp status

WhatsApp status allows you to share photos, videos, and animated GIFs that disappear after 24 hours. It’s a bit like Snapchat stories but with a WhatsApp twist.

• In order to send and receive status updates to and from your contacts, both you and your contact must have each other’s phone numbers saved. To view someone’s status update, tap the Status tab and select a contact’s status. To reply to one of your contact’s status updates, tap Reply at the bottom of the screen.

• To send a status update, go to the Status screen and tap the status button at the bottom right. You can take a new photo or record a new video or choose an existing one from the picker , the tap the send button. The camera is fairly basic, only allowing you to add a flash or switch to front camera.

• However, you can add a caption and personalize your status updates by adding emojis, texts and freehand drawings to your photos and videos. The button to add emoji’s etc., appear at the top of the screen once you’ve taken or selected the photo or video you want to send. You can add as many status as you want to.

THANK YOU FOR READING:

Now you can do almost everything on WhatsApp. I hope this article was helpful and if it was then do let us know in the comments down below. Your reviews would mean a lot to us. 

Also, if you want to read more such article then here are few recommendations for you. 

Create an Instagram business account ; Create a new Facebook account ; Create WhatsApp account