4 WhatsApp Features You Should Turn Off (For Your Own Safety)

WhatsApp has many options that are very useful. But you better turn off these 4 WhatsApp functions. And that for your own safety.

4 WhatsApp Features You MUST Turn Off (For Your Own Safety)

Many features in WhatsApp are enabled by default for everyone. That’s not a bad thing, because most parts of WhatsApp are quite useful. However, there are plenty of WhatsApp features that you should turn off. We’ll show you four features that you should watch out for.

4 WhatsApp Features You Should Turn Off (For Your Own Safety)

1. Turn off automatic addition to groups in WhatsApp

In WhatsApp, anyone with your phone number can add you to a group. That can be quite annoying when you are thrown into a random group chat for the umpteenth time. You can do something about that! This is how you turn off the function.

Disable automatic addition to groups in WhatsApp

  1. Open WhatsApp and tap ‘Settings’ at the bottom;

  2. In the overview, go to the ‘Privacy’ option;

  3. Tap on ‘Groups’;

  4. Select ‘My Contacts’.

Do you want no one to be able to add you to groups? Then tap on ‘My contacts, except…’ in the last step. Then choose ‘Select all’ at the bottom to select all your contacts. Then tap on ‘Done’ and no one will be able to add you to groups in WhatsApp anymore.

2. Hide profile picture from strangers

By default, everyone gets to see your profile picture. So even people you don’t know with whom you happen to be in a group. That doesn’t really have to happen, does it? That makes this one of the WhatsApp features that you better turn off. For example, you can set it so that only your contacts get to see the image.

  • In WhatsApp, tap ‘Settings’;
  • Go to ‘Privacy > Profile photo’;
  • Select ‘My Contacts’.

Here too it is possible to hide your profile picture from everyone. You must then choose the option ‘Nobody’ in the last step above.

3. Turn off automatic photo saving

If you are in a lot of chats, photos are often shared. But of course you don’t need to have every photo in your photo library on your iPhone. To turn that off, follow the steps below:

  • In WhatsApp, tap ‘Settings’;
  • Go to ‘Chats’;
  • Turn off the slider next to ‘Save to Photos’.
save whatsapp photos

4. Turn off last seen and online

By default, everyone can see when you are online and when you last viewed a message. Of course, not everyone needs to know that you were online on WhatsApp. That is why this is one of the WhatsApp functions that you should (partially) disable. It is better to set it so that only contacts can see this.

  • Open WhatsApp and go to ‘Settings > Privacy’;
  • Tap ‘Last seen & online’ at the top;
  • Select ‘My contacts’ at the top;
  • Under ‘Who can see when I’m online’, tap the ‘Same as Last Seen’ option.

Please note: If you stop sharing your ‘Last Seen’ status, you will no longer be able to see it from others.

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