Encrypting your WhatsApp messages allows you to protect information that you do not want anyone else to have access to. In this article, we provide 3 ways to keep your WhatsApp chat safe.
• Filed to: WhatsApp Tips • Proven solutions
WhatsApp is a messaging platform with over 2 billion users. With this number of users in the world, it is prone to be hacked, it is, therefore, necessary to protect your messages to keep them private and safe.
Some people asked "Are WhatsApp Message Encrypted?" Actually, encrypting your WhatsApp allows you to protect information that you do not want anyone else to have access to; it might be your financial information, business information or a personal family message.
It also prevents companies from having access to messages that you received or sent from been used for commercial, advertising or marketing purposes.
In the case of phone theft or misplaced phone, you can be rest assured that someone else cannot use your private WhatsApp messages for malicious activities.
The question now is "Are WhatsApp Messages Encrypted". WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption by default, you do not need to turn on any settings, this ensures that only you and the receiver can see the messages you are communicating, however, WhatsApp still experiences security issues, which can put your WhatsApp messages at risk.
By default, WhatsApp displays received messages on the home screen of your phone whether it is locked or unlocked. Immediately you receive a message on WhatsApp it is automatically displayed on your screen and anybody can spy WhatsApp message on your phone even without unlocking your screen, although it does not display the full message anyone can still guess what the message is about.
You need to hide WhatsApp chat preview if you do not want anyone to see your WhatsApp message notification. Therefore, to protect your privacy it is important to turn off message preview to stop pop up messages on WhatsApp from appearing on your locked screen.
For both Android and iOS, users there are two ways to hide WhatsApp message preview via the device settings or via WhatsApp settings. Follow the step-by-step instruction below to hide your WhatsApp message preview.
WhatsApp Setting
Step 1: Tap on the WhatsApp application on your phone.
Step 2: Tap on the three vertical dots found in the top right corner.
Step 3: Tap on Settings < Notification.
Step 4: Untick the box labelled High Priority Notifications.
Android Device Setting
Step 1: Tap on the Settings option on your android device.
Step 2: Tap on Apps option under the device subsection.
Step 3: Navigate to WhatsApp icon on the list that appears and tap on it.
Step 4: Tap on the notification < Lock Screen.
Step 5: Tap on Hide Sensitive Content to hide your messages.
More Tips for Android Device:
After doing the above, you will still receive WhatsApp notification with only the names of WhatsApp message senders, however, if you do not want to receive both the message and the sender 's name displayed on your locked screen then you have to totally disable WhatsApp Message Notifications.
Follow the steps below to totally disable WhatsApp Message Notifications.
Step 1: Go to the Settings icon on the apps screen of your Android device.
Step 2: Tap on Apps on the Device subsection.
Step 3: Tap on the WhatsApp icon, and Notification.
Step 4: Tap on the On Lock Screen option and click "Don 't show Notification at all " option on the drop-down menu that displays
WhatsApp Setting
Step 1: Tap on the WhatsApp application on your iPhone
Step 2: Tap on the Settings option at the bottom-right corner.
Step 3: Tap on the Notification.
Step 4: Scroll down and tap on Show Preview toggle to turn it off.
iOS Device Setting
Step 1: Go to Settings on your iPhone, and tap on the Notification option.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap on the WhatsApp icon, and tab on Show Previews.
Step 3: Here you have three options, Always, When Unlocked (Default), and Never.
Step 4: Tap on the Never option if you do not want to see WhatsApp notification at all.
To unhide WhatsApp messages, that is, you want to receive notifications anytime you get a new WhatsApp message on your home screen, carry out the following steps.
WhatsApp Setting
Same as hide your WhatsApp process, in the final step, just tick the box labelled High Priority Notifications instead of untick.
Android Device Setting
Step 1: Tap on the Settings < Apps < WhatsApp < Notification < Lock Screen
Step 2: Tap on Show All Notifications Content to show your notifications of your WhatsApp messages on the Home Screen of your device.
WhatsApp Setting
Same as before, by clicking WhatsApp < Settings < Notification and Scroll down and tap on Show Preview toggle to turn it on.
- iOS Device Setting
Step 1: Go to Settings on your iPhone, and tap on the Notification option.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap on the WhatsApp icon, and tab on Show Previews.
Step 3: Here you have three options, Always, When Unlocked (Default), and Never.
Step 4: Tap on the Always option if you do not want to see WhatsApp notification at all.
WhatsApp offers lock function for all Operating Systems. Phone users can now lock only their WhatsApp app to secure their privacy. You can lock WhatsApp messages using a password, fingerprint or two-factor authentication.
Step 1: Tap on the WhatsApp icon to open it.
Step 2: Tap on the Settings icon at the bottom-right of your phone 's screen.
Step 3: Tap on Account < Privacy < Screen Lock to open it.
Step 4: Toggle to enable Face ID or enable Touch ID to activate a Face ID or a Touch ID depending on the model of iPhone you have.
Step 5: Select your preferred time duration for Face ID or Touch ID lock.
Step 1: Tap on the WhatsApp icon on your phone to open it.
Step 2: Tap on the three vertical dots at the top-right corner of your screen.
Step 3: Tap on Settings < Account < Privacy.
Step 4: Tap on the Fingerprint, lock toggle to enable it.
Step 5: If you already registered your fingerprint on your phone, you will be asked to verify continue usage of your fingerprint for WhatsApp Fingerprint lock if not you would have to register your fingerprint for WhatsApp Fingerprint lock.
Step 6: Select your preferred time duration for WhatsApp Fingerprint lock.
Here in this part, we also recommend you some Apps that can help you lock your messages directly.
This app lets you lock message and chat applications by using a PIN.
This app prevents unauthorized access by locking your apps with PIN and Pattern.
Locker app helps lock both WhatsApp and chats be it individual or group thereby preventing unauthorized access.
AppLocker or App Protector will lock and protect apps using a password or pattern and fingerprint.
Backing up your messages and photos frequently cannot be overemphasized. It is an important task one must do, to safely have all your memories kept in a secure and safe place; a place where you can have access to it all at any time, anywhere.
However, WhatsApp has made it possible for WhatsApp user to safely back up their chats, media etc. WhatsApp chat backup can be done as frequently as every day, weekly or monthly. This is done automatically as soon as you enable WhatsApp Chat back up.
All information is safely saved on google drive for android users and iCloud for iOS users; therefore, you need to have a Gmail account or an Apple ID to successfully backup your files.
One frequently asked question is "Does WhatsApp backup deleted messages? " If you mistakenly deleted a backed-up message, it can be retrieved from your google drive or ICloud, however, if you didn 't back up your message before you mistakenly deleted it, WhatsApp cannot retrieve such messages.
Step 1: Open WhatsApp, tap the three vertical dots at the top-right corner of your screen.
Step 2: Tap on Settings < Chats < Chats Backup < Backup.
Step 3: Choose how frequent you want your data to be backup by selecting 'Back up to Google Drive'. A pop-up box will appear, select a backup frequency other than never.
Step 4: Select a Gmail account where all backed up data will be saved. Backed-up data will be saved on your Gmail Drive.
Step 5: Choose internet provider you want your WhatsApp data saved over by selecting 'Back up over '. A pop-up box will appear to choose Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi/cellular.
Step 6: Click on the toggle bar in front of 'Include videos ' to include videos in back up data. Tap Back up to initiate your first backup.
dr. fone offers a simple, easy, efficient and secure way to transfer WhatsApp data from iOS/Android to iOS/Android. WhatsApp data such as chats, videos, documents, audios, images etc. can be transferred successfully between devices and Operating System effortlessly.
Backup WhatsApp photos, messages, videos and more on iPhone/Android Phones
With three easy clicks, you can back up all WhatsApp data on your android or iPhones and export them to your computer, which you can view anytime.
In very simple steps, you can restore WhatsApp history backed to either iOS or Android devices, even if they were saved in either device.
Step 1: Launch dr.fone on your android or iPhone. Click on WhatsApp Transfer and go to that tab
Step 2: Select Backup WhatsApp Messages and plug your iPhone to a computer. Click Backup and your files begin to backup automatically.
Step 3: Export the WhatsApp data selectively to your iPhone
WhatsApp is still affected by malware that can pose as advertisements, but are stealing your information.
To prevent your private data from been used by anyone else, your messages need to be encrypted securely and to do this you have to employ the services of apps that are built for this purpose. What's more, to keep your WhatsApp data safe and private, backing up WhatsApp frequently is necessary and important.
Ella Baché
Editor