WhatsApp is one of the best messaging apps in the world. It’s normal to have sensitive conversations using the platform, as chats and calls are end-to-end encrypted. However, there are steps you should take to make sure even when your device gets into the wrong hands, your information will not be tampered with.
It is not only when you misplace your phone, or it falls into the wrong hands that you should be worried about someone snooping on your WhatsApp. When you give someone your device without a screen lock, they can access your WhatsApp. In addition, people now hack WhatsApp or install spy apps to monitor activities on the app.
Why should I make my WhatsApp more secure?
Irrespective of what you use WhatsApp for, there should be some privacy and security. You should protect the person you are having a conversation with if you don’t care about your privacy. Luckily, WhatsApp has some security and privacy features to ensure maximum privacy.
Someone snooping on your WhatsApp: When you hand over your phone to someone without a screen lock or you didn’t pin the app, they can access your WhatsApp. The reason why it’s necessary to lock your WhatsApp.
Hacking: Surprisingly, many people have had their WhatsApp accounts hacked. Yes, it’s possible to hack someone’s account. However, it’s impossible to bypass 2FA, and hence, you should enable it.
Spying with spy apps: Some apps monitor WhatsApp remotely. Interestingly, these apps keep a copy of deleted messages and others. It’s important to have the best privacy settings for your WhatsApp account.
How to make WhatsApp more secure?
WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, but they have added two-step verification, disappearing messages, and WhatsApp lock with Face ID or Fingerprint. The app is more secure when you enable these features, and you won’t worry about someone hacking your account or spying on you.
Lock WhatsApp with Face ID or Fingerprint
To ensure only you have access to your WhatsApp account, we recommend enabling WhatsApp lock. It becomes impossible for someone to access your account when you hand them your phone without a screen lock.
However, only phones that have face ID or Fingerprint can use the feature, but most phones that support WhatsApp have either. That means WhatsApp does not support PIN lock.
- On your Android phone, head to Settings (tap the three dots at the top right).
- Tap on Privacy>>App Lock.
- Tap on the toggle and confirm your biometrics or facial ID.
- Select the standby time before your WhatsApp locks automatically when you exit the app.
- Also, you can decide if you want to show notifications from the app on the lock screen.
- On Apple iOS, head to Settings>>Privacy>>Screen lock and toggle on Require Touch or Face ID. Select the standby time, and that’s it.
Lock Chat
You can lock individual chats on WhatsApp. If you find it stressful to unlock your WhatsApp each time you want to access the app, you can lock individual chats. Perhaps the reason for locking the entire app is one chat, you can use the Lock Chat option.
- On Android, press and hold the chat you want to lock.
- Once selected, tap on the three dots at the top right corner.
- Select lock chat and press continue.
- Confirm your biometrics and the chat will be locked.
- To access the chat, tap on locked chats at the top of your chats list and enter confirm your biometrics.
Enable two-step authentication
Not just your WhatsApp, if an app supports this option, you should be using it. This makes it impossible for someone to hack your account. In addition, you need the PIN when linking your account to a new device. Hence, someone can’t link your account to theirs without your consent.
When enabling two-step verification, add your email in case you forgot your code, you can retrieve it. WhatsApp randomly asks that you input the PIN so you don’t forget it, anyway.
- To enable two-step verification on WhatsApp head to Settings.
- Tap on Account>>Two-step verification.
- Follow the screen instructions and set up your PIN.
- After that, go back to the “Account” page, and tap on email to add your email address.
Enable disappearing messages
While WhatsApp encrypts your messages, it doesn’t stop someone from seeing them when they snoop or spy on your account. To ensure no copy of your sensitive conversations or images, WhatsApp allows setting up disappearing messages.
- To enable disappearing messages on WhatsApp, open the chat you want to set it up for and tap on the three dots at the top right.
- Select disappearing messages.
- Under the message timer, you can select how long before the message disappears.
- On iOS, open the chat and tap the contact’s name at the top.
- Select Disappearing messages and choose a time frame for the messages to disappear.
Encrypt Cloud Backups
Your WhatsApp backups are stored in Google Drive or iCloud. It makes it easy to restore your chats when moving to a new phone, but there is a loophole that can be used to access your data. Unfortunately, these backups are not encrypted, but you can enable encryption on backups.
- On Android phones, Head to Settings>>Chats>>Chats backup>>End-to-end encrypted backup>>Turn on. You can follow the same procedure to enable it on your Apple iPhones.
Common WhatsApp scam
You might randomly receive a message on WhatsApp, tricking you to click on a link. The truth is that you should not click on any suspicious link, especially when it is from someone you don’t know. Also, those messages asking you to pay for WhatsApp or subscribe to WhatsApp Gold are all scams. And yes, WhatsApp is free, and you do not need to pay before you can use the app.
Check and adjust WhatsApp privacy settings.
WhatsApp has added some security features to help you better manage your privacy on the app. Head to Settings>>Account>>Privacy to see some settings to protect your account.
There, you can control who can see your last seen on WhatsApp. However, if you enable that feature, you will not see people’s last seen. In addition, you can set who can see your profile picture, status, and live location. There is an option to turn off read receipt, meaning no one would know when you read their message nor view status, but you won’t know who views your status either.
Check linked devices
WhatsApp can run simultaneously on two phones, with one as a companion device. Someone can use the feature to spy on your conservations, as there is no way to find out unless you check.
- Click on the three dots at the top right corner and select Linked Devices.
- If there is an active device that you can’t recognize, we suggest you tap on it and proceed to log out.
Conclusion
WhatsApp has become very popular, and it is not surprising to see scammers target people on the app. With the security and privacy features available for the app users, you should be able to control your privacy. We recommend enabling disappearing messages if you use WhatsApp to send sensitive messages.
