WHATSAPP fans might use the app dozens of times a day – so making a mistake is easy enough.
But there are some WhatsApp blunders you absolutely must avoid.
WhatsAppKeep your WhatsApp in the best shape possible[/caption]
Don’t send anyone your WhatsApp code
There’s a clever scam you need to be aware of.
The attack revolves around the six-digit verification code that WhatsApp gives out when you want to regain access to your account.
It also involves a hacker taking control of one of your contact’s WhatsApp accounts and messaging you pretending to be them.
The hacker will message pretending to be your friend around the same time you get a text or email from WhatsApp with a verification code that the hacker has requested by pretending to be you.
This code is only given when you try and make changes to your account.
The hacker – posing as your friend – will pretend they’ve accidentally asked for the verification code to be sent to your number and will ask you to send it over.
You should never share the six-digit code with anyone.
If you do, the hacker will be able to take over your account.
You’ll no longer have access to your account and the hacker can try and scam your friends and read your private messages.
If you do get a suspicious message from a friend, try ringing them to see if you can talk to them in person and verify what is going on.
WhatsApp self-deleting texts
WhatsApp also has a recently-added feature that will automatically self-destruct new texts after a day.
The new update is aimed at boosting your privacy – by destroying old WhatsApp messages.
You can set Disappearing Messages to automatically turn on for all new chats – without affecting existing conversations.
And two new durations have been added for Disappearing Messages, 24 hours and 90 days.
So now you can choose from four options in total: 24 hours, 7 days, 90 days or Off.
Go to the app Settings > Account > Privacy and then turn on Default Message Timer.
This feature only rolled out a few weeks ago, so make sure you’ve updated WhatsApp to its latest version.
Bear in mind that this system isn’t perfect.
Someone could still screenshot or copy your texts to keep a record of them.
So if you really want to keep something off the internet, consider not posting it – unless you’re messaging someone you absolutely trust.
Keep your most important chats pinned
This is an easy way to prioritise your favourite people in WhatsApp.
If you have a busy WhatsApp, sometimes loves one can get buried below groups and work chats.
But it’s actually possible to pin several chats so that they stay at the top of your main conversation feed.
Go into your chat list and then swipe right on a conversation.
You can then tap Pin and that specific chat will stick to the top of the feed.
And if you change your mind later on, you can unpin at any time.
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