Jakarta, CNNIndonesia —
WhatsApp is an instant messaging service that has a number of hidden features which is not widely known. You can also try how to maximize WhatsApp’s secret features.
The reason is, these features are very useful to facilitate the use of the application. Especially if WhatsApp is a messaging application that you use every day.
By knowing these hidden features, you can maximize the use of WhatsApp. Here are the features and methods.
1. Starred messages
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Illustration. How to maximize WhatsApp’s secret features without additional applications, one of which is starred messages (istockphoto/focus-focus)
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Starred message or starred messages is a feature to mark certain messages or conversations. To mark important messages, users only need to touch the message for a few seconds until an asterisk appears on header
WhatsApp is right between the ‘reply’ and ‘delete’ icons.
When you want to see a message marked with an asterisk, all you have to do is touch the vertical three dot menu on the top right side. Then select the menu ‘starred messages’ or ‘starred messages’.
2. Pin the conversation
Pin a conversation or pin is a feature that will prioritize conversations with a person or group so that they always appear at the top. That way, you’ll always see the conversation even if no new messages appear.
The way to activate it is by touching or holding a conversation, then clicking the pin icon on the top side. You can pin up to three conversations.
3. Hide the blue tick
The blue tick is a sign that the recipient of the message has opened and read the sender’s message. You can disable the blue tick.
You do this by going to Settings>Account>Privacy>Untick Read Receipts. If you turn it off, you also won’t get blue tick read receipts when you message others.
4. Mention group members To call one of the friends in the WhatsApp group, users can also take advantage of the feature mention.
How to use it is quite easy, namely typing the @ sign, then enter the name of the group member you want to call.
5. Stop auto download
Photos and videos that friends share on WhatsApp are usually automatically downloaded and stored in the cellphone gallery. You can disable this automatic download.
You do this by going to Settings>Data and storage usage>Media auto download>Select photos, audio, video or documents that you want to stop downloading automatically.
You can choose to turn off, auto-download when connected to WiFi, or auto-download when connected to both WiFi and cellular.
 Mobile phone illustration |
Illustration. How to maximize WhatsApp’s secret features without additional applications, one of which is changing the letters to make them more attractive (iStock/solidcolours) How to maximize the next WhatsApp secret feature is to change the letters or font
to make it more interesting and look different. With this feature, users can put additional emphasis on messages by bolding, italicizing, and striking through.
For bold letters, just add an asterisk
on either side of a word or phrase. To italic, just add an underscore. Meanwhile, to cross out, you can use the tilde (~).
7. Lock WhatsApp
Not many people know that WhatsApp has a secret feature, namely locking the application. For iOS users, you can set your WhatsApp account to require Face ID or Touch ID authentication when opening WhatsApp, even when the device is unlocked.
To do this, go to Settings>Account>Privacy>Lock Screen>activate Face ID or Touch ID. Then select the time duration i.e. immediately, after one minute, after 15 minutes, or after one hour.
8. Muting the group
Users can also turn off group notifications with options for eight hours, a week, or forever. You do this by tapping and pressing and holding the group you want to mute> select the mute symbol on the screen> select the desired time.
9. View message details You can also view message details. How to maximize this WhatsApp secret feature provides information on what time the message was sent and read by the recipient. For iPhone users, you can swipe left on the message you sent to see the detailed information. Meanwhile for Android users, you can press and hold
chat that you want to highlight, then select the exclamation mark icon.
10. Hiding last seen Other users can find out when was your last time online by looking at the features last seen or last seen. If you want to hide your status so that friends or contacts don’t know about your activity
online,
You can go to Settings>Account>Privacy>Last seen.
Apart from that, you can also customize according to the category you want, such as Everyone, My Contacts, or None. 11. Restrict privacyWhen you don’t want everyone to know the status
online
photos or account information, to status, you can choose the people you want to limit.
For Android users, you can go to Menu>Settings>Account>privacy. Change the personal data visibility settings. Meanwhile for iOS users, go to Settings>Privacy>Change Settings as desired.
