If you send important information through WhatsApp, then here are the best ways to make WhatsApp secure so that your data remains safe.
WhatsApp is the most popular instant messaging app on the planet. People use WhatsApp to send and receive message and also payments. As it is used to send important messages, security of the data send should be given high priority.
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To make the data transfer secure, WhatsApp provides end-to-end encryption for any communication from one person to another. This includes, calls in WhatsApp and messages. Even though encryption of data is enabled by default on WhatsApp, it is good to make some changes to the settings to make your WhatsApp more secure. Following are 5 different steps that you can take to do it easily.
Best ways to make WhatsApp secure
Modify the privacy settings on WhatsApp
There are many settings that you can modify under WhatsApp privacy settings which include, Last Seen and Online status, Profile Photo, About, Groups, Status. These options can be set according to your preference.
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Last Seen & Online status tells when you were online before or if you are presently online or not. You can go to this setting and make it as Nobody for Last seen so that no one will know when you were online on WhatsApp and also disable the online status.
Similarly, you can adjust the permission on who can see your profile phone and about you. In the Groups option, you can set a permission if other people can add you to a group.
By setting these settings, you can make your WhatsApp more secure easily. These settings can be changed at any time and to make the changes follow these steps. Open WhatsApp on your phone > Click on settings in the bottom bar > Go to Privacy and you will find all options listed above.
Setting up Screen lock for WhatsApp
If your phone supports biometric authentication like Face ID, then it can help you make your WhatsApp more secure. Once a screen lock is setup, no one can get into your WhatsApp account without your Face ID.
This comes really handy if you share your phone to family and friends. If there is no face ID support on your Phone, then this can be done using fingerprint lock as well. In case there are no biometric lock options on your phone, then the same can be done using a 3rd party application.
To enable Face ID lock on WhatsApp once again you need to go to Privacy options under settings > Scroll the last option called screen lock > Click on it and turn on “Require Face ID”. The time before the lock gets active can be selected from the options listed in this screen.
Enable disappearing messages on WhatsApp
Recently WhatsApp is adding many useful features specifically for security and one such feature is disappearing messages. Once you send a message on WhatsApp, it remains in the chat list even if the receiver has not read it.
If the receiver’s phone or senders phone gets into wrong hands, then, he/she can read that message. Once disappearing messages are enabled, after a certain time duration, the message will get deleted automatically.
The time duration for auto deleting messages is based on the time set by the sender in settings. Following are the steps to enable this option. Disappearing messages can be enabled for a specific person on your chat.
Open WhatsApp and click on a chat where you want to enable disappearing messages > Click on the profile pic of the person > Here you will find an option called “Disappearing Messages” > Click on it and select the desired time after which the message will disappear from the receiver chat.
Use two-factor authentication
Most popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp have two-factor authentication features available. This adds more security to your accounts and data. Once this is enabled, when you change phones or login to another device, you will be asked to enter a 6 digit pin which. In case you forget then pin, you can do the login using code received on your email.
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This provides a peace of mind as you may have much important information on your WhatsApp account. Two-Factor authentication can be enabled on both iOS and Android devices easily. Follow these steps.
Open your WhatsApp > Go to setting and click on Account > Here you will find an option called Two-Step verification. Click on it and provide the details like the pin. Once done, your WhatsApp account will become more secure.
Encrypt WhatsApp Chat backups
Over time, we start getting many chats and contents shared through WhatsApp. With the backup feature, all the files and chats that are received are stored in the cloud so that you can easily transfer or download later.
This is a convenient feature to have for people who change phones regularly, as they may need to transfer the chats as well. Old chats will have sensitive information which cannot be disclosed to others. It will be better to encrypt it so that the contents are safe from others.
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To encrypt WhatsApp chat backups, you can enable an option in the settings. Go to WhatsApp settings > Click on Chats > Select chat backups > At the bottom of the screen there will be an option called “End-to-end Encrypted backup” turn that ON and you are done.
From now on, all your chats and backups will be encrypted and stored on the cloud so that no one can access it without your knowledge.
WhatsApp Privacy and Security
Instant messaging platforms can have some security issues, even if we feel that every thing is secure. With the features that WhatsApp provides in terms of security, we can confirm that sensitive data and information is not being access by another person without your knowledge. All the settings mentioned above are built in to WhatsApp to keep your data safe.
One thing to point out here is that to avoid giving permission to any 3rd part services to access your WhatsApp account. Doing this will create security issues and your data being read by others.
