Most of us open WhatsApp dozens of times a day and still use only a fraction of what it can do. A few settings can make it more private, stop it eating your storage, and save you a real headache when you switch phones. Here are the ones worth knowing.
Privacy settings worth turning on
1. Lock a private chat: Chat Lock moves a conversation into a separate, hidden folder that only opens with your fingerprint, face or passcode. Open the chat, tap the contact’s name at the top, and choose Chat Lock. Handy if you ever hand your phone to someone else.
2. Hide when you were last online: In Settings, go to Privacy, then Last Seen and Online, and choose who can see your activity. You can hide your last seen time and limit who sees when you’re online.
3. Send photos that disappear after one view: The View Once option, the small “1” inside a circle when you send a photo or video, means the media can only be opened a single time and can’t be saved to the other person’s gallery.
4. Silence unknown callers: Under Privacy, then Calls, turn on Silence Unknown Callers. Calls from numbers not in your contacts won’t ring. They still appear in your calls list, so you can check later if you’re expecting something.
Stop WhatsApp filling your phone
WhatsApp is one of the biggest storage users on most phones because it saves every photo, video and voice note people send. Over a year or two that can reach several gigabytes.
Open Settings, then Storage and Data, then Manage Storage. WhatsApp groups your largest files and most-forwarded media together, so you can clear the big items without deleting any chats. While you’re there, turn off auto-download so new media doesn’t save automatically: in the same Storage and Data screen, set photos, video and documents to download only when you tap them. You can also turn off Save to Camera Roll so WhatsApp photos stop doubling up in your phone’s gallery.
Moving WhatsApp to a new phone
Switching phones is where people lose chats, so it’s worth doing properly.
If you’re staying on the same system, iPhone to iPhone or Android to Android, your chats restore from your iCloud or Google Drive backup when you reinstall WhatsApp and sign in. Moving between iPhone and Android is now supported too, usually with a cable or by following the on-screen steps during setup.
The key habit: back up the day before you switch, not a week before. That way the new phone picks up your most recent messages. If you’re coming in for a repair, your WhatsApp data normally stays on the phone during a standard repair, but a fresh backup is cheap insurance before any work is done.
Send photos at full quality
WhatsApp compresses photos by default to save data. When quality matters, tap the HD button after you attach a photo or video and choose HD. For a file you want untouched, send it as a document instead of as a photo. In the attachment menu choose Document, then the file. It arrives at full resolution with no compression.
Format your messages
A few characters change how your text looks:
- Bold: put asterisks around the words, like *this*
- Italics: use underscores, like _this_
- Strikethrough: use tildes, like ~this~
These work in chats and group descriptions, which is useful for making a key detail stand out.
Use WhatsApp on more than one device
You can link WhatsApp to other devices, a computer, a tablet or a second phone, and use them at the same time without your main phone being online. WhatsApp allows up to four linked devices in total alongside your main phone. Open Settings, tap Linked Devices, and scan the code on the other screen.
When your phone is the problem, not the app
If WhatsApp is slow to open, crashes when you send media, or your storage is full no matter how much you clear, the issue may be the phone rather than the app. A failing storage chip or a worn battery can make everything feel sluggish.
If that sounds familiar, bring your phone into any Phone Clinic store and we’ll check what’s going on. Most checks are done the same day, and with our no fix no fee promise you only pay if we fix it. You can book a repair or find your nearest store first.
FAQ
Can I use WhatsApp on two phones at once?
Yes. Use Linked Devices to add another phone, a tablet or a computer. WhatsApp supports up to four linked devices alongside your main phone, and they work even when your main phone is offline.
How do I move my chats from iPhone to Android?
Cross-system transfer is supported during setup, usually with a cable or by following the on-screen steps when you first open WhatsApp on the new phone. Make a fresh backup first.
Why does WhatsApp use so much storage?
It saves every photo, video and voice note you receive. Over time that builds into gigabytes. Manage Storage lets you clear the largest files without deleting your chats.
How do I stop spam calls on WhatsApp?
Turn on Silence Unknown Callers in Privacy, then Calls. Calls from numbers not in your contacts won’t ring, but still show in your calls list so you can check them later.
Should I back up WhatsApp before a phone repair?
Your data normally stays on the phone during a standard repair, but a fresh backup the day before is sensible insurance in case the phone needs more work than expected.