Meta has blessed us with another feature nobody requested: Instagram Instants. Just when you thought your DMs were chaotic enough, Instagram now lets people send you disappearing photos that vanish after you view them, cluttering your inbox with a persistent notification stack.

This is the same company that gave us Threads (their Twitter alternative), Reels (their TikTok answer), and Stories (inspired by Snapchat). Now it's created Instants, because apparently there weren't enough ways to share photos yet.

The feature launched last week and immediately started appearing in users' DMs whether they wanted it or not. If you're already annoyed by it, here's what to do next.

More from Tom's Guide

• Instagram now lets you schedule DMs — here's how to do it
• I asked ChatGPT to roast my Instagram feed — here's how you can too
• Want a faster TikTok? Here's how to clear your cache

Instagram just added another way to share photos, and this one feels different. No filters, no editing, no carefully curated aesthetic. Just open the camera, snap what's in front of you, and send it to close friends or mutuals. They view it once, then it's gone.

Instants live in your DMs rather than your main feed or Stories. They're designed for the moments you'd text a photo to a friend but don't want permanently attached to your profile. Think of it as Instagram's answer to Snapchat or BeReal, but built directly into the app you're already using.

The feature sits tucked in the bottom corner of your inbox where most people haven't noticed it yet. Here's what Instants actually are and how to use them.

More from Tom's Guide

• Instagram now lets you schedule DMs — here's how to do it
• I asked ChatGPT to roast my Instagram feed — here's how you can too
• Want a faster TikTok? Here's how to clear your cache

With TikTok warning of a potential shutdown in just days as the Supreme Court weighs up a law that could ban the app in the U.S., many users are wondering where they'll get their short-form video fix if the app does go dark.

The January 19 deadline looms for TikTok parent company ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban, leaving millions of users potentially seeking, and transitioning to, new platforms. While there's no exact replica of TikTok's unique blend of content and its remarkably accurate algorithm, several platforms have spent years developing similar features.

From established social media giants to emerging platforms, here are some of the best alternatives to consider if TikTok faces a ban.

Instagram Reels

Instagram's take on short-form video has become TikTok's most formidable competitor, and for good reason. Most of your favorite TikTok creators are already cross-posting their content here, along with those trending sounds and topics you love.

While Reels' algorithm isn't quite as uncanny at predicting your interests as TikTok's, Instagram has been steadily enhancing its recommendation system. If TikTok disappears, Reels is positioned to become the new home for short-form video, thanks to Instagram's massive user base and familiar content style.

Plus, you get the benefit of photos, Stories, and Reels all in one place — no app-switching required when you want to see what your friends are up too. You can find all of Tom's Guide's Instagram Reels right here.

Download Instagram: Android| iOS

Youtube Shorts

YouTube's foray into short-form video comes with a unique advantage: access to YouTube's vast library of music and songs. If you're already a YouTube regular or use TikTok mainly for music discovery, this could be your perfect match.

The integration with long-form content means you can seamlessly move between quick clips and deeper dives into your interests. Just be prepared for some content that feels more like chopped-up YouTube videos than native short-form content.

And if you haven't subscribed to Tom's Guide on YouTube yet, you can find us here.

Download YouTube: Android| iOS

Snapchat Spotlight

Unlike TikTok's everything everywhere all at once approach, Snapchat's Spotlight feed keeps things light and entertaining. You won't find political debates or news content here — just fun, trendy content organized by topics and popular songs.

The platform's trending section makes it easy to find what's having a moment right now, and its robust search features let you track down specific content through keywords and hashtags, similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels.

However, be aware that the content skews notably younger, which might not appeal if you're used to TikTok's broader age range.

Download Snapchat: Android | iOS

RedNote

This Chinese platform ("Xiaohongshu" in its native market) is quickly becoming a favorite among "TikTok refugees" looking for TikTok alternatives. Imagine Pinterest's visual appeal mixed with social shopping features and short-form video — that's RedNote's approach.

The app specializes in beauty tutorials and product reviews, offering a mix of video and livestreaming capabilities. While it's gaining traction, there's an elephant in the room: as another Chinese-owned app, it could potentially face similar scrutiny as TikTok if it gains significant U.S. market share.

Download Rednote: Android| iOS

Triller

Originally built as a TikTok competitor, Triller is going all-in on attracting displaced TikTok users. They've launched SaveMyTikToks.com to help creators migrate their content, and the recent hiring of ex-TikTok exec Sean Kim as CEO (who helped develop TikTok's famous "For You" feed) signals serious ambitions.

While its user base is smaller than TikTok's, Triller's focus on music and dance content could make it the perfect new home for creators in these niches. The platform seems particularly well-positioned to capitalize on any TikTok exodus.

Download Triller: Android| iOS

Lemon8

Branded as a "lifestyle community", TikTok's sister app is making moves to catch displaced users, recently enabling TikTok account integration for seamless transition. The platform feels like a hybrid of Instagram and Pinterest, letting you create stylish slideshows and photo collections through familiar "Following" and "For You" feeds.

With creative tools, filters, and effects similar to TikTok's, it could be a natural transition — but there is, of course, a slight catch: as another ByteDance product, it might get caught in the same regulatory crosshairs as TikTok.

Download Lemon8: Android| iOS

Likee

With hundreds of millions users worldwide, Likee has evolved into a comprehensive short-form video platform that punches above its weight. The platform's filters rival Snapchat's, while its extensive editing suite includes everything from beauty filters to background changers.

Monetization comes through SuperLikes and live streaming, where creators can receive gifts from viewers, similiarly to TikTok. While the user base isn't quite at TikTok's level, Likee's focus on creative tools and live interaction sets it apart.

Download Likee: Android | iOS

Fanbase

Imagine having TikTok, Instagram, Patreon, and Clubhouse all rolled into one platform — that's what fanbase is aiming for. At its core, the app's "Flickz" feature delivers the short videos you're used to, but it's the platform's broader mission that makes it interesting.

Built with a focus on giving Black creators the recognition they deserve, Fanbase takes a refreshingly different approach to content promotion. The subscription model means no ads cluttering your feed, and creators get a fair shot at reaching their audience without worrying aboutlgorithm changes or shadowbanning.

Download Fanbase: Android | iOS

Other options

As the social media landscape continues to evolve, these alternatives may become increasingly important for creators and viewers alike. And while the platforms above are the most established alternatives to TikTok, several other apps offer unique approaches to short-form video.

For younger users, Zigazoo provides a safer, moderated environment. Meanwhile, newcomer Favorited is gamifying livestreaming with a creator-friendly 70/30 revenue split, already attracting 750,000 users.

Clapper offers a more unfiltered experience with three-minute videos and audio rooms for up to 2,000 listeners, though it trades polish for authenticity. Whether you're looking for advanced editing features, stronger community focus, or just a different take on short-form video, there's a platform that matches your needs.

More from Tom's Guide

• What is RedNote? The hot new app attracting ‘TikTok refugees’ just shot to the top of the App Store
• Sonos CEO exits following major app fail — but there's good news
• This TikTok hack completely transformed the way my trash can smells

Like many apps, WhatsApp offers a beta program for its nearly 3 billion users to try out features that are still in development. However, recently several Android users have run into an alarming bug with the popular messaging service's latest beta that renders the app useless.

The latest beta adds several notable features such as the option to delete the preset chat filter, use "Add Yours" interactive stickers for Status updates, and search within channels on Android. But while checking out experimental new features ahead of their full release can be fun, obviously it comes with some risks as developers are still uncovering potential bugs.

As first spotted by Android Police, users of WhatsApp beta version 2.24.24.5 are reporting an issue where, when they try to open any chat, a solid block of green appears and makes the app unusable. The good folks at Android Police ran into a similar issue with the app force closing on startup despite repeated attempts to reopen it.

How to fix WhatsApp beta green-screen bug

Thankfully, the bug seems to be isolated to beta version 2.24.24.5. The app should continue to run smoothly on the latest stable build, so the solution for now seems to be uninstalling the beta version and instead using the latest stable version from the Google Play Store.

Some users have reported that the typical fixes like restarting your phone, clearing your cache, or force-stopping the app haven't been enough to do the trick, which implies this is an underlying bug that the developers will need to address. Given the number of users reporting the issue on social media, it's likely the app's developers have taken note of the bug and will roll out a fix shortly.

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• WhatsApp starts rolling out Events planning feature for group chants — here’s how it works
• WhatsApp looking to add AirDrop-esque feature to iPhones — what we know
• Black Friday VPN deals 2024: early bargains already live

This year, WhatsApp has seemingly had something new rolled into the messaging app every month. 

The latest feature, spotted by MacRumors, enables groups to organize events within their chats. The event planning feature is meant to be used within a group chat and allows WhatsApp users to organize events, meetings and social gatherings. 

In May, when the Android version of the app was redesigned to make it more like the iOS version, WhatsApp launched a feature called Communities, which lets people with common interests create groups. It also introduced Events to let communities plan meet-ups. At the time, only Community groups could use the the events tool. That tool is no longer locked to Communities; anyone with a group chat can now utilize it. 

Essentially, it allows you to create a calendar event in WhatsApp that can be added to your phone's calendar or within the app. 

Events can be set up by pressing the "+" button in the group and selecting Event. Then, you can create a name, description, start date, location and call link for virtual meetings. A notification is sent to group members once an event is created.

Here is how WhatsApp described the tool when it was launched in May:

"With events it’s now easier for people to plan their get togethers directly in WhatsApp, whether it’s setting up a virtual meeting or birthday dinner. Anyone can create an event and others can respond so the whole group knows who is coming. Guests can also find the event in the group’s information page, and those going will get an automatic notification when it’s getting close."

WhatsApp has said that the feature will roll out to users progressively over the coming weeks. We tried on a Samsung Galaxy S22 and an iPhone 12, but it wasn't available on either yet.

WhatsApp has become more popular with the messaging service, having surpassed 100 million active users in the United States just last month — a feat since the US tends to be locked into services like Apple's iMessage or Google messages on Android.

More from Tom's Guide

• The best encrypted messaging apps
• The best WhatsApp alternatives
• What is RCS messaging and how to get it

WhatsApp has been working on an AirDrop-like feature, called Nearby Share, since at least January, and it was meant to come to Android devices first. As of this writing, that feature has not yet been released to the public.

It sounds like the messaging app is looking to bring the feature to iPhones as well, as reported by 9to5Mac. The feature was found by WABetaInfo in the lastest beta version for iOS. 

Like AirDrop, the feature is meant to allow WhatsApp users to share photos, video and documents with nearby people wirelessly, and not necessarily with an Internet connection.

Apparently, the Android version of the feature is able to detect nearby devices, but the iOS version will require you to scan a QR code to share files. 

iOS already has AirDrop, why would you want a similar feature via WhatsApp? Apparently, Nearby Share will allow people to share between iOS and Android, something that is not currently available without some annoying workarounds.

Despite being found in the code, WhatsApp has not officially announced the tool and there are no clear plans for when it might actually come out. Currently, it appears the tool is only in an internal testing phase.  

This year has featured a number of upgrades to WhatsApp, including a surprise redesign that made the Android version look more like the iOS iteration. 

The app was added the ability to send photos and videos in HD quality by default, something that wasn't available previously. In May, the app added a new navigation bar for Android users that enables more straightforward navigation. They also updated the Communities feature enabling groups to plan events within the app and them to calendars. 

And of course, Meta has been integrating AI into all of its products including WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is available for free in the Play Store and the App Store. And if WhatsApp isn't for you, check out our list of best WhatsApp alternatives.

More from Tom's Guide

• The best WhatsApp alternatives
• WhatsApp drops surprise design update — it's rounder and darker now
• WhatsApp could soon get a galaxy AI-powered Live Translate feature

WhatsApp recently released a surprise design refresh for its iOS and Android versions. The update is a bit more noticeable in light mode, as it includes a new color palette and some other changes to make the apps look more uniform across operating systems.

Spotted at 9to5 Mac, the new redesign is all about green. Notification badges, buttons, and icons are now in green.

Users with iOS devices might not notice the change as much; the icons and tabs have a rounder style, but that’s easy to gloss over. Android is where the changes will be more immediately felt. 

The annoying Meta AI/Search bar is gone from the top of the screen. The tab bar is now nestled at the bottom of the screen, just above the home and back buttons. This changes the layout of the Android version to be more similar to the iPhone, but it is jarring if you’re used to the previous layout.

The dark mode is also getting changes. WhatsApp claims it changed the colors to provide higher contrast and darker tones. These changes were designed to “reduce eye strain in low-light environments.” 

There are also some new animations and chat wallpapers. 

Depending on how you have updates set for your device, you should be able to see the changes now. Testing on phones we have at Tom’s Guide shows that the refreshed design has been rolled out now.

After a quiet start to the year, WhatsApp has maintained a steady flow of updates since mid-April. The company introduced Chat filters to help users find messages faster by breaking chats up into All, Unread and Groups. 

At the start of May, WhatsApp launched a feature called Communities that allows people with common interests to create groups and Announcement pages for those communities. Within that, the messaging app added Events so that Communities can plan or recreate calendar events in the app. So far, this feature has only been available to groups in a Community, but WhatsApp says event planning will roll out to everyone later this year. 

More from Tom's Guide

• The best WhatsApp alternatives for 2024
• Meta's new AI chatbot might be my new favorite
• The best encrypted messaging apps in 2024

WhatsApp is a fantastic way to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues. Part of what makes it such a great app is that large group chats are supported, so you can speak to entire friendship groups at the same time.

If you're anything like us, you'll be part of numerous WhatsApp groups. But have you ever left one by accident?

If you've found yourself accidentally leaving a group chat or were removed but want back in, don't worry! Rejoining a group chat is easy, and this guide will show you how to do it.

How to Rejoin a Group Chat on WhatsApp

These screenshots were taken on a Google Pixel 8 running Android 14, but the basic principles of rejoining a WhatsApp group are the same, whatever device you're using.

Rejoining a WhatsApp group really is as simple as just asking the Group Admin to add you back in again.

However, you should note that if you've left a group twice, then a 24-hour waiting period is imposed before anyone can issue an invitation for you to rejoin. Every time you leave a group, the waiting time for the group admin to re-add you increases. The maximum waiting period is 81 days.

If this is your first time, though, then your readmission will be immediate, and you can get back to chatting with the group in no time.

If you want to discover more features of WhatsApp, then check out our guides to sharing your live location, sending view once voice messages, and protecting your privacy by blocking other WhatsApp users.

Whatsapp has allowed you to pin conversations to the top of your screen for a while now, but it hasn't given you the option of pinning individual messages in those conversations the way you could in iMessage and Telegram.

Until now.

This month, WhatsApp introduced a new feature that enables you to pin a message to the top of an individual or group conversation. You can pin any kind of message, including text, photos, or emojis. And it's available on both iOS and Android phones.

In this guide, we'll take you through the steps of pinning a message to the top of a conversation, so you'll never again have to waste valuable minutes scrolling through a long, chatty group chat, looking for the one message with the venue details, event time, or important link.

How to Pin WhatsApp messages

These screenshots were taken on an iPhone using iOS 17, but the steps will be more or less the same on other devices, although your screen may look slightly different.

So there you have it. You now know everything you need to start pinning pertinent messages to the top of your WhatsApp conversations.

To find out about more features you could be using right now on WhatsApp, check out our guides to sharing your live location, editing messages, and locking WhatsApp with FaceID.

Long gone are the days where you have to describe your surroundings so someone can come and pick you up. Thanks to GPS, smartphones and messaging apps like WhatsApp, showing people where you are only takes a few seconds. 

But regular location sharing is more like sending a snapshot of where you were at the time. Thankfully WhatsApp has the ability to share a live location, which will follow your movements and pinpoint your approximate location in real time. And it’s pretty easy to do, once you know what needs to be done.

Here’s how to share your live location in WhatsApp.

How to share your live location in WhatsApp

And there you have it, the ability to share your live location on WhatsApp. If you'd like to find out more about what Meta's messaging app can do, be sure to check out some of our other WhatsApp tutorials. We've got guides on how to turn off read receipts in WhatsApp, how to share your screen during WhatsApp calls, how to edit WhatsApp messages, and even how to message yourself on WhatsApp.

In a world where digital privacy is increasingly valued, WhatsApp has taken another step forward with its latest update. Following the introduction of the View Once feature for photos and videos in 2021, WhatsApp has now extended this privacy option to voice messages. Imagine sending a voice note that self-destructs after being listened to, leaving no trace behind.

The concept is simple yet powerful: not every piece of information we share needs to linger in the digital realm indefinitely. The View Once feature ensures that your voice messages remain confidential, providing an extra layer of security that makes it perfect for sharing secrets or sensitive information.

View Once adds an extra layer of security by preventing messages from being forwarded, shared, copied, saved, or captured in a screenshot. Whether you're communicating sensitive information or simply prefer a more ephemeral digital conversation, the View Once feature offers a fresh perspective on how we use WhatsApp for a broader range of communications.

How to send view once voice messages in WhatsApp

This how-to guide takes you through the steps of sending and opening View Once voice messages on WhatsApp. These steps were carried out on a Google Pixel 8 but should work the same on any device on which WhatsApp has been installed.

The View Once feature is a step forward in WhatsApp’s mission to improve privacy and security. There are, however, some caveats. While View Once media is designed to disappear, recipients could still capture screenshots or record the content using external devices. It's also important to be aware that encrypted media may persist on WhatsApp's servers for a limited period, and View Once voice messages will be accessible to WhatsApp if a recipient flags your message as offensive.

So, while View Once can improve the privacy and security of your exchanges, you need to balance its advantages with its limitations. You should only send messages to people who you trust.

To learn more about getting the most from WhatsApp, check out our guides on how to block someone on WhatsApp, how to unblock someone on WhatsApp, and how to lock WhatsApp with your FaceID on an iPhone.

WhatsApp is designed to automatically save every photo you receive in chats to your iPhone's camera roll. While this makes the images easy to access in your main photo library, it can also start to take up a lot of space on your device. 

If you'd rather the app didn't save those images to your camera roll, you can disable WhatsApp's photo saving feature with just a few taps.

In this article, we'll show you step-by-step how to stop WhatsApp from adding photos to your camera roll on an iPhone. It only takes a minute to change this setting and stop WhatsApp from infiltrating your main photo gallery. 

We'll cover how to toggle off auto media saving in both individual chats and globally in WhatsApp settings. Doing this ensures the photos, videos, GIFs, and any other media you receive in WhatsApp messages will stay within the app, keeping your chat images.  

A quick note before we start, though: bear in mind that even after stopping images being saved to camera roll, media still causes the WhatsApp app data to increase. But you won't be effectively doubling the storage these images take up.

How to disable WhatsApp saving images to camera roll

We've covered the steps below on an iPhone, but they should be more or less the same on other devices.

And that's it! Pretty easy, eh? One button can save you hundreds of gigabytes of storage — trust me I know!

If you're still getting to grips with the messaging app, there's plenty of How To articles covering how to block someone, how to unblock someone, and how to video call on WhatsApp.

There are also articles covering the lesser-known feature of Whatsapp. Maybe you didn't know you can now share your screen on Whatsapp calls, and we can also show you how to change your chat wallpaper.

Did you know that you can now share your screen on WhatsApp during video calls?

The popular messaging service owned by Meta recently rolled out the feature which allows screen sharing between WhatsApp contacts across iOS, Android, and Windows devices.

It enables users to share an immersive, live view of their screen — displaying everything from documents, photos, and notes to shopping carts.

As well as this, Meta has also made improvements to the WhatsApp video chat experience by adding landscape orientation on mobile, too.

We’ll take you through a step-by-step on how to use screen sharing, but in a nutshell, the feature can be initiated by clicking on the ‘share’ icon and then choosing between a specific app or sharing the entire screen.

You’ll need to be on an active video call for the screen sharing feature to work. So, if you’re new to the app, it might be worth reading up on how to video call on WhatsApp first.

As a bit of a disclaimer, it’s important to note that when sharing your screen on WhatsApp, all of the information displayed on your screen, including usernames, passwords and notifications, are visible to the contact you’re sharing with. The feature is still protected with end-to-end encryption and is never recorded by WhatsApp, so rest assured knowing that no one outside of the call can see or hear what you’ve chosen to share.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that audio for shared content from Netflix, YouTube, or video games, cannot be heard by those you’re sharing your screen with.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s how you can share your screen on WhatsApp in a few simple taps.

How to share your screen on WhatsApp

1. Open WhatsApp > Calls > New Call
2. Select Video Call > Screen Broadcast
3. Start Broadcast
4. Swipe up > Open app of your choice
5. Stop Sharing

Read on to see more detailed instructions for each step.

And that’s all there is to it really — now you know how to share your screen on WhatsApp.

Now that you’ve learnt how to use this handy feature, why not take a read of some of our other tutorials? We can teach you how to block someone on WhatsApp, as well as how to unblock them, too. If you’re a regular user of the app, it’s also well-worth finding out how to switch things up by changing your chat wallpaper. For increased privacy and security, learn how to hide your online status and how to automatically block unknown callers and spammers.

Speaking of WhatsApp updates, did you know that the app now offers 8-person video calls on Windows as well as 32-person voice calls? This means you can easily set up conference calls, video team meetings and larger group calls with a fair number of participants.

On the other hand, if WhatsApp isn’t really your thing, we’ve curated a list of the best alternatives for 2023 from Google Messages and Telegram to lesser-known apps such as Threema.

Knowing how to block someone on WhatsApp is important for your online and  personal privacy and security. If you're in the unfortunate position of feeling pestered, annoyed or endangered by another person messaging you on WhatsApp, blocking them is the best way to quickly curtail that, and usually the first avenue of defense.

It's also pretty much the best way to deal with those super annoying spam messages and calls that come through via WhatsApp. You may want to read our guide on how to automatically block spam calls on WhatsApp if that's an issue.

Thankfully, you can block someone on WhatsApp very easily, and unblock them just as easily if you decide a block is no longer needed. But if you aren't sure how, this guide is here to show you.

Here's how to block someone on WhatsApp.

Note: we completed the following steps on an iPhone 14 Pro, but they should be more or less the same on Android devices.

How to block someone on WhatsApp

1. On a chat, tap their profile picture
2. Scroll down and tap Block [contact name]
3. Tap Block to confirm

Read on to see detailed instructions for each step.

How to block someone on WhatsApp (Alternative method)

There's also a second method for blocking someone on WhatsApp which doesn't require you to go through a chat with them. 

Note: this method requires you to have the contact stored in your phone contacts list. If you're dealing with an unknown spammer, use the method above.

That's all there is to it. Perhaps, though, you want to figure out if you have been blocked. In that case, read our guides on how to tell if you've been blocked on WhatsApp and how to tell if you've been blocked on Instagram. Remember, though, that the person who blocked you doesn't want you contacting them, so you're best advised to leave them alone. 

Next: learn how to edit sent messages on WhatsApp

If you're anything like me, you'll have received plenty of spam calls and texts through WhatsApp in the past. If so, you'll be glad to hear that WhatsApp has introduced a setting that'll help cut down on the spam, although it isn't exactly obvious where to find it.

Buried within the WhatsApp settings menu is a feature called Silence Unknown Callers, which pretty much does what it says on the tin and stops your phone going off when Wi-Fi called through the app by an unknown number. You'll receive a notification in the on the calls page showing you that you've been called, but your phone won't ring.

That means the feature won't block unknown people from messaging you on WhatsApp (which we tested), so there's still no way to block spam messages automatically (although you can easily block them one by one). However, it's still useful for stopping spammers calling you through WhatsApp out of the blue, or to get around your standard cellular privacy settings — for example if you've blocked unknown callers on iPhone.

As such, it's a useful feature to keep turned on, especially if you're already using a similar silencing feature on your standard phone line. It's just another way to curtail the annoyance of spam. Here's how to block spam callers on WhatsApp.

How to block spam callers on WhatsApp

Note: we took the following screenshots on an iPhone 14 Pro, but the steps should be extremely similar on Android.

We have plenty more WhatsApp guides for you to delve into next. Why not learn how to edit messages in WhatsApp, how to video call in WhatsApp and how to turn off read receipts in WhatsApp.

WhatsApp's latest feature now lets you record and send short video clips directly in chats, just as you can with voice messages. While the Meta-owned messaging app has long offered the option of sending videos, instant video messaging makes it faster and easier than ever by removing several steps in the process.

Now, sending an instant video message is just as easy as sending a voice message. Simply tap the voice message icon in the lower-right corner to switch it over to video mode, then hold the button to record a video. You'll also be able to swipe up to lock the screen for hands-free recording.

“Video messages are a real-time way to respond to chats with whatever you want to say and show in 60 seconds,” Meta said in a blog post this week announcing the feature. “We think these will be a fun way to share moments with all the emotion that comes from video, whether it’s wishing someone a happy birthday, laughing at a joke, or bringing good news."

How WhatsApp's instant video messaging works

Video messages can be up to 60 seconds long and will automatically play on mute when the person you sent it to opens a chat. For the sound to start playing, all they'll need to do is tap on the video. That's in contrast to how voice messages work on WhatsApp, as they don't auto-play and have no length restrictions.

Voice messages are all stored within the app itself, so if this new feature works the same way, it should help keep your phone's camera roll clutter-free. And just as with all messages on the platform, these videos are protected by Whatsapp's end-to-end encryption service.

Instant video messaging has been rolling out to WhatsApp users on both iOS and Android and will become available to "everyone in the coming weeks," Meta said.

It's one of several new features and quality-of-life updates WhatsApp has added this year several to keep pace with other messaging apps. For instance, Whatsapp users can now edit messages up to 15 minutes after being sent, just as they can on Telegram and Signal. Though if you're interested in ditching the Meta ecosystem wholesale, check out our picks for the best WhatsApp alternatives.

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After a few months in beta, WhatsApp has launched its first official Wear OS app. That means anyone with an Android smartwatch will be able to download WhatsApp, and use their watches to communicate with friends and family without needing their phone.

WhatsApp for Wear OS was originally announced at Google I/O back in May, but now Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced (via TechCrunch) the app is now rolling out across the world. The app is only available if your watch runs Wear OS 3 or higher, but offers support for text, voice and emoji-based messaging as well as actual voice calls. Just like you can on the WhatsApp smartphone app.

What’s more, all this works even if your connected phone isn’t within range. That’ll be especially useful for anyone with an LTE-equipped smartwatch like Google’s own Pixel Watch.

Interestingly this puts Wear OS at a distinct advantage compared to the Apple Watch. So far Apple’s smartwatch doesn’t have a native WhatsApp app, which limits what iPhone owners can do on their wrist. 

All you can really do is check and respond to incoming messages, provided your notification settings are set up correctly, with no option to initiate conversations or calls from your wrist. Not that Apple Watch users are likely to switch platforms for a single app.

Not all of the best smartwatches for Android are powered by Wear OS, but there are still plenty of options if you want WhatsApp on your wrist. The Google Pixel Watch is the obvious one, as are the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5.

So if you’re a big WhatsApp user, and value the ability to use your watch in place of a smartphone, then you’ll want to head over to Google Play to get things set up.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple reportedly testing AI chatbot — 5 things to know about Apple GPT
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 — early rumors and everything we know
• Apple's My Photo Stream is shutting down soon — what you need to do now

Learn how to change your chat wallpaper on WhatsApp if you're a little bored of the default backgrounds. 

Many of us use WhatsApp as our default messaging service, as unlike Apple's Messages app, it works across devices from different manufacturers. If you're anything like me, you use WhatsApp for all messaging unless you have no internet connection.

But while WhatsApp is great and all, the stock backgrounds are a little mundane. Which is why you may want to change your chat wallpaper.

Thankfully, changing chat wallpaper on WhatsApp is super easy, and you can do it in just a few steps. One thing to bear in mind is that you have to set different wallpapers for both light and dark themes, so if you've changed your wallpaper and then aren't seeing it, this could be why. You can set the same photo as your wallpaper for both, but you'll need to set the same photo for both light and dark themes separately.

We'll go through how to change your wallpaper on WhatsApp for both light and dark themes, on both iOS and Android, so whether you're using an iPhone 14 Pro or one of the best Android phones, all you need to do now is read on.

How to change wallpaper on WhatsApp

The process for changing chat wallpapers on WhatsApp is pretty similar on both iOS and Android, although the steps do differ a little, so we've covered both. Android steps were taken on a Google Pixel and may be slightly different depending on the flavor of Android you're using.

How to change wallpaper on WhatsApp: iOS

Note: WhatsApp has separate wallpapers for when your phone is in light or dark mode. You can set the same photo as your wallpaper for both, but you'll need to set the same photo for both light and dark themes separately. To flip between the two quickly so you can change both your wallpapers while you're in the app, we're going to be using Control Center to switch between light and dark modes. 

If you don't have Dark Mode added to your control center, follow our guide on how to edit Control Center on iPhone and add the Dark Mode widget. Alternatively, you can just do it manually: go to Settings, then tap Display & Brightness and tap Light or Dark.

In the iOS walkthrough, we're going to start in Light Mode.

How to change wallpaper on WhatsApp: Android

Note: WhatsApp has separate wallpapers for when your phone is in light or dark mode. You can set the same photo as your wallpaper for both, but you'll need to set the same photo for both light and dark themes separately. Thankfully, the WhatsApp app for Android allows you to toggle between light and dark modes on the wallpapers page — very handy!

In the Android walkthrough, we're going to start in Light Mode.

For more WhatsApp tutorials, check out our guides on how to video call on WhatsApp, how to create a poll on WhatsApp and how to hide your online status on WhatsApp.

Knowing how to video call on WhatsApp is perfect if you have friends and family who you don't see much in real life, as it'll enable you to catch up with them face-to-face even if you don't have phones from the same manufacturer. 

See, iOS's FaceTime is great and all, but it restricts you to only video calling other iPhone users. Using WhatsApp for video calls only requires the other participant to also be using WhatsApp — in the U.K. and U.S., there's a good chance that'll be the case. So whether your compadre is rocking an iPhone 14 Pro or a Google Pixel 7 Pro,  you'll be able to video call them using WhatsApp.

Making a video call on WhatsApp is incredibly easy, but if you're a first time user, you might not be sure about how to do it. There's also a good chance your app permissions may be preventing calls, so we'll show you how to fix that if you're here because you're having problems.

Without further ado, here's how to video call on WhatsApp.

How to video call on WhatsApp

Before you can video call on WhatsApp, you'll need to ensure you've granted the correct access to the app itself, so we'll run through that first. If you're experiencing issues when you tap on the video call button, this may be why.

It's as easy as that. And if you found this tutorial useful, you may also be interested in reading our other WhatsApp guides. 

Learn how to edit WhatsApp messages on iPhone and Android, so you can fix that typo or change a message you wish you hadn't sent. If you'd rather people didn't know you were online, find out how to hide your online status on WhatsApp. Want to chat from your wrist? Discover how to use WhatsApp on Apple Watch. Need to get an idea of what the whole group think? We can show you how to create a poll in WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has taken a page from Telegram and Signal's book, letting you edit your messages. Messages can be edited for up to 15 minutes after being sent, so there's no need to panic if you spot a typo or autocomplete makes what you said totally unrecognizable. 

“From correcting a simple misspelling to adding extra context to a message, we’re excited to bring you more control over your chats,” the Meta-owned company wrote in a May 23 blog post. Similar to how the process is handled on Meta's social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, altered messages will show up as “edited,” notifying recipients that a change has been made. But they won't be able to see exactly what that change entails.

Just about all popular messaging platforms have allowed the ability to edit a message after it was sent, making WhatsApp the only outlier. Now that's no longer the case.

The new functionality is expected to roll out to WhatsApp's 2 billion users worldwide on both iOS and Android within the coming weeks. For more useful tips, check out our guides on how to read your WhatsApp messages without sending receipts on Android or how to use WhatsApp on your Apple Watch. 

Let's walk you through how to edit your messages on WhatsApp. 

How to edit WhatsApp messages on iOS and Android

If you're used to Signal, Telegram or other messaging apps that have editing enabled (check out our list of WhatsApp alternatives for more options), the process on WhatsApp will already be familiar to you. The steps will be pretty similar regardless of if you have one of the best iPhones or Android smartphones. 

You can edit a WhatsApp message as many times as you like so long as it's within the 15-minute time limit. WhatsApp does not store a revision history of your edits, but an edited label will appear on any messages that are revised after being sent.

Pretty easy, right? If you'd like to read more tutorials, we have you covered. 

Next up, why not learn how to use WhatsApp on Apple Watch and how to use WhatsApp Web and Desktop.  We can also show you how to hide your online status on WhatsApp for extra privacy.

More from Tom's Guide

• This hidden WhatsApp feature lets Android users see messages without read receipts
• I tried a ton of ChatGPT plugins and these 3 are the best
• Google's AI search engine could make or break search forever — here's why

You need to know how to unblock in WhatsApp. If you’ve ever had a disagreement with someone or just needed some time away, you might have decided to block someone on the messaging app.

But, second chances are a beautiful thing. And once you know how to unblock someone in WhatsApp, you’ll be able to hand them out when you're ready to speak to that person again. 

Let's look at how it works in practice. In this case, Tom's Guide How-to Editor Pete Wolinski and I had yet another disagreement about commas. So, I blocked him.

But time has passed, things have mellowed and I’m ready once more to be the good guy and forgive him. This is how I went about unblocking Pete in WhatsApp. 

How to unblock in WhatsApp 

Note: I performed this on my Android phone but the process is identical for iPhones too. 

1. Open WhatsApp and tap search  
2. Search for the blocked person  
3. Tap the bubble below the chat and then tap unblock 

There you go, now you know how to reinstate someone when you're ready to reconnect. Just remember that you can always re-block someone if they start to become abusive or hurtful on the messaging platform. 

If you want to be a WhatsApp wizard and make the most of the messaging service,  check out our guides on how to use Whatsapp group video calling, how to Make Voice Calls on WhatsApp or how to use WhatsApp on Apple Watch. Of course, if you suspect you've been blocked by someone, you can check for yourself with how to tell if you’ve been blocked on WhatsApp.

More from Tom's Guide

• Thinking about ditching iPhone for Samsung? Here's how to try it now
• How to find your Apple ID
• How to use Google Maps Live View

Zoom might have cornered the market on video calls during the pandemic, but a bunch of the other best video chat apps have stepped up to try and claim those users for themselves. 

WhatsApp is the latest app to try and forge itself as a serious Zoom competitor, with a new update offering eight-person video calls and 32-person voice calls on Windows.

Both these features have been available on Android and iOS for quite some time, but that’s the case with most WhatsApp features. WhatsApp desktop video calling didn’t launch until March 2021, and two years later it’s finally gaining some parity with the mobile app.

Of course the 8-person limit on video calls isn’t all that impressive. Zoom and Microsoft Teams can handle 100 video call participants without asking you for a penny. Even Facebook Messenger, which is part of the same company as WhatsApp, lets up to 50 people join a video call. 

Thankfully WhatsApp says there are plans to increase the group call limit, though didn’t offer any extra details. Here’s hoping we get some limits on par with what Facebook Messenger has to offer — on WhatsApp’s mobile and desktop apps. 

It would be nice if those numbers could rival Zoom in the near future, particularly since WhatsApp has almost 2.5 billion users across the world. That’s a user-base that Zoom can only dream of.

Improving the desktop experience

The boost in call limits is part of WhatsApp’s push to improve user experience on desktops and tablets, particularly when it comes to cross-device use. The new Windows app update means WhatsApp now loads faster, and offers an interface a lot closer to what you’d see on mobile. 

Multi-device user has apparently been refined as well, with faster linking between devices, brand new features, and better cross-device syncing.

Mac users will also be happy to know that a brand new WhatsApp app is coming to Apple machines, and is currently in an early beta testing phase. Plus WhatsApp started rolling out a mobile update earlier this week, offering more refinements to group chats.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best Zoom alternatives for video calling
• The best WhatsApp alternatives
• The best Windows laptops you can buy right now

Unlike with Facebook Messenger or many other chat apps, your WhatsApp account is tied to your phone number—and this can be a huge problem if you get a new number.

There are only a finite number of phone numbers available, which is why when one goes out of service Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other telecoms reuse them. If you don’t take the proper steps before switching your phone number, someone else could take over your account.

As reported by Gizmodo, if someone else gets your old phone number and you haven’t switched your number in WhatsApp, they could accidentally end up taking over your account when they log into the service. This happens because your account is still tied to the phone number.

With your WhatsApp account in hand, this person will receive all of your incoming messages and they can even participate in group chats since to everyone else, it will appear to be you and not an imposter. If this person has malicious intentions, they could commit fraud or even try to steal your identity using the service.

An old security issue that still hasn’t been fixed

Unfortunately, WhatsApp has known about this issue for years now and neither it nor its parent company Meta have come up with a way to stop it from happening.

Back in 2020 Vice cybersecurity reporter Joseph Cox accidentally hijacked someone’s WhatsApp and detailed his own experience dealing with the issue. Now the issue has come to light again after Gizmodo shared a similar story about a user named Eric whose son accidentally did the same thing.

Even after reaching out to WhatsApp through its bug bounty program, Eric was informed by an employee that the company knew about the issue and his ticket was closed. While he thought this was a “one-in-a-million glitch”, Eric then went on to recreate the problem in only a few minutes using two prepaid SIM cards.

While this news may have you turning to the best WhatsApp alternatives instead, there are some proactive actions you can take to secure your WhatsApp account and prevent it from being taken over by another user.

How to protect your WhatsApp account from being taken over

Besides making sure you update your number in WhatsApp every time you get a new phone number, there’s another important step you can take to protect your account.

While two-factor authentication (2FA) using your existing phone number won’t solve this problem, you can set up two-step verification to further secure your account. To do so, simply head to WhatsApp’s Settings menu, tap on Account and then select Two-Step verification. From here, you’ll need to enter a six-digit PIN that the service will ask you for periodically.

If you don’t feel comfortable writing your PIN down, you can always use one of the best password managers to securely store it online. This way you’ll be able to access it from any of your devices and you won’t risk having it fall into the wrong hands. Likewise, if you don’t plan on using WhatsApp anymore, you should select the Delete My Account option from the app’s settings menu so that no one else can impersonate you online.

WhatsApp can be a great tool for keeping in touch with people all over the world but if you want even more security, check out some of the other options on our list of the best encrypted messaging apps.

Despite the fact that we now have enough bandwidth for video calls and even more will be available when Wi-Fi 7 rolls out later this year, texting and messaging apps are still the way most of us communicate.

Typing out a message feels more natural than getting on a video call or even picking up the phone — something that fewer and fewer people are willing to do. I’m guilty of this myself but as a writer, I love putting words on the page to the point where I often go over the 160 character limit when sending text messages.

Although workplace chat apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams have been out for a while, I never really had a chance to use them before. Sure, I used Google Chat from time to time back at my last job but for the most part – we primarily communicated via email. That all changed when I joined Tom’s Guide and finally got a chance to try out Slack for myself.

The constant notifications and urge to check Slack to make sure I haven’t missed anything far outweigh the service’s best feature in my opinion and now, I wish every messaging app would let me do the one thing Slack does really well. 

The collaboration feature I wish every messaging app had

Launched back in 2013, Slack (which actually stands for Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge) is one of the most popular workplace chat apps thanks to its collaboration features.

One such feature is the ability to edit messages and responses after you send them. If you’ve ever accidentally said something incorrect, misspelt a word or made a grammatical error, Slack lets you quickly go back and edit what you said. It’s a small thing but it makes a world of difference — especially for a writer like me.

If you didn't know this feature is here, it's actually really easy to use. If you want to edit the last message you sent in a DM conversation or channel, just tap the "up" arrow, and you'll open the last message. Alternately, hover over a message, and select "Edit message." Then, click return or ‘save’ and you’re done!

The reason Slack lets you edit messages is simple: it makes collaborating with your coworkers easier as you don’t overthink before sending a message since you can always go back and edit it later.

Now though, I wish every messaging app had this feature. Staying in touch with my friend group (which has people all over the world) means relying on Facebook Messenger. After using Slack for the past year though, I often find myself trying to go back and edit my messages in Messenger before remembering I can't — I’m not at work. That awesome joke you just told in the group chat just doesn’t land the same way when there are typos or errors and unfortunately, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

The same can be said for text messages on most phones (but iOS 16 now lets you edit them after they’ve been sent). While you only have 15 minutes to do so, this is more than enough time to fix a quick typo. Unfortunately, I’ve been using Android since I got my first smartphone and I just don’t see myself making the switch from Android to iPhone anytime soon.

These apps do let you edit messages

If, like me, you want to edit your messages but use one of the best Android phones, there is hope as an increasing number of messaging apps now also let you edit your messages after you’ve sent them.

While Facebook Messenger doesn’t, WhatsApp rolled out an update in September of last year that allows you to edit messages. Just like in iMessage, you simply hold down on a message to edit it. While the person on the other end will be notified that you edited a message, they won’t be able to see exactly what changes were made.

Although it’s known as a messaging and video chat service for gamers, Discord also lets you edit messages. To do so, you just long press on your message and select edit message. However, once you’re done editing your message, it will appear with (edited) at the end.

If you want to keep your communications secure while also being able to edit your messages, Telegram is your best bet. Like with the others, you tap and hold then select edit to fix your typos or mistakes. Signal is another one of the best encrypted messaging apps but instead of allowing you to edit messages, you can only delete them for your or everyone just like with Facebook Messenger.

While there are several options out there if you want to be able to edit messages after you’ve sent them, good luck getting all of your friends and family to switch to a new service. I’ve tried but unfortunately, all my iPhone-owning friends prefer to text though I still worry about going over my text limit even though that hasn’t been a thing for years.

Thanks to the latest update, you can now create a WhatsApp avatar to act as your profile picture on WhatsApp, or to send as stickers to friends in chats. 

Given Meta's endless quest to force the avatar-led Metaverse into popularity, it comes as no surprise that the company, which also owns WhatsApp, is now attempting to integrate avatars into its other products. Presumably, the avatars you create in WhatsApp will be usable in the Metaverse at some point.

You can now send your friends and family on WhatsApp a sticker of you that doesn't look anything like you, using 36 whole stickers to express complex human emotions in the bluntest possible terms. It's revolutionary stuff.

As the Avatars have landed, you may want to know how to make one. 

How to create a WhatsApp avatar

1. In WhatsApp, tap the Settings cog, bottom right, then tap Avatar.

2. Tap Create Your Avatar.

3. Tap Get started.

4. Choose a skin tone, then tap Next.

5. Use the bar in the middle of the screen to cycle through avatar elements, such as hair style and colour, body shape, clothes, eyes etc. Tap the mirror icon, top right, to open your frontal camera, if you're going for accuracy.

6. Tap Done when you're finished.

7. Tap Save changes to confirm.

8. Tap Next.

9. You'll now be taken back to the Avatar menu. Tap Edit Avatar to go back and make changes.

How to set your WhatsApp avatar as your profile picture

1. In Settings, tap your profile picture to edit your profile, then tap Edit.

2. Tap Edit.

3. Tap Use Avatar.

4. Choose an avatar style and background color. Then tap Done when ready.

How to send your WhatsApp avatar as a sticker

1. In a chat, tap the sticker icon, then tap the avatar icon.

2. Tap the avatar sticker you want to send and it'll be sent to the chat.

There you have it: you've created and utilized your WhatsApp avatar. I'm sure the resemblance is uncanny. If you'd like to read more WhatsApp tutorials, make sure you check out how to create a poll on WhatsApp, how to turn off read receipts on WhatsApp and how to message yourself on WhatsApp.

Received a WhatsApp call or message from an unknown number? Your account could be at risk of spam or even scams as millions of WhatsApp account phone numbers are currently up for sale on a hacking forum. 

As reported by Cybernews, someone is selling a 2022 database of 487 million WhatsApp mobile numbers. This includes accounts from 84 countries like the US, UK, Russia, Egypt and many others. There are apparently 32 million US records included as well as 11 million from the UK. WhatsApp has around two billion monthly active users worldwide and this leak puts nearly half a billion users at risk.

Cybernews also points out that the leaked accounts all belong to active WhatsApp users. The seller could have obtained the phone numbers by a process called scraping, which refers to harvesting information at scale — though this violates WhatsApp’s terms of service.

The seller also revealed they are selling the US data for $7,000. WhatsApp's parent company, Meta has not issued a statement on the leak just yet.

How to stay safe from WhatsApp attacks

The kind of information leaked in this case, phone numbers of WhatsApp users, is mainly used for phishing attacks, fraud or to send out spam. If you are an active WhatsApp user, beware of unknown numbers trying to message you or call you on the platform. 

The main thing to do to keep yourself safe from attackers who may have gotten your WhatsApp number is to change your privacy settings. Go to “Settings,” within WhatsApp, tap on “Privacy” and then change your “last seen and online” setting, “profile photo,” and “about” to “contacts only".

You can also enable two-step verification to further secure your WhatsApp account. Go into “Settings” in the app, tap on “Account” and then on “Two-step verification". This will ask you to create a PIN that adds another layer of security for your account. 

In case you get a suspicious message from an unknown WhatsApp number, don’t click or open any link they might send and block the number immediately. 

Also, be careful of what messaging apps you install as some WhatsApp clones have were found to be malware in disguise. Earlier this year, Meta sued multiple Chinese companies, which it accused of stealing over a million WhatsApp accounts via fake versions of the app.

Next: You will now be able to message yourself on WhatsApp — here’s everything you need to know.

You can now create a poll in WhatsApp, which is great news for group chats and keen organizers. Previously, if you wanted to gauge the opinion of everyone else on a group chat, you had a couple of options. One was to create a poll using an external website and link to it it in the chat. The second, more informal way was to send your poll answers as messages and ask people to react to each one, counting the reactions. Neither options were perfect. 

External polls obviously required a somewhat laborious process, requiring you to sign up to a polling website and get everyone to click the link. The message reaction method was very crude, and meant you couldn't see who gave what answers. 

Well, WhatsApp have clearly responded to user demand, as you can now create polls natively within WhatsApp chats. I myself am currently organizing a bachelor party, and utilized the poll feature immediately to quickly find out what dates people could do. It's much faster and easier than creating an external poll, and much more detailed than asking for chat reactions.

If you'd like to learn how to create a poll in WhatsApp, simply read on, as this guide will show you how to do it.

How to create a poll in WhatsApp: iPhone and Android

1. For iPhone users: in a WhatsApp chat, tap the plus button next to the text box.

For Android users: in a WhatsApp chat, tap the paper clip button next to the text box.

2. Tap Poll.

3. Type the question you want answering by the other chat members.

4. Enter the response options in the Options boxes.

5. To move an option, hold the three bars icon on the right and drag the option to where you want it placed. Release your finger when you're happy with the position.

6. When you're ready, tap Send.

7. In the chat, you'll see the poll. Tap a response option to vote for it. You can vote for more than one!

8. Tap View Votes to see responses.

That was easy, which is exactly how it should be. It seems WhatsApp understands that people want quick feedback when using a poll, and have designed this feature to make everything super simple.

If you'd like learn more about using WhatsApp, why not get started with our guides on how to move WhatsApp messages from Android to iOS and how to create a WhatsApp avatar.

If you'd like more general tips on using your iPhone or Android device, we have you covered with our range of helpful tutorials. Got a new phone? Read how to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone or how to transfer data from Android to Android, to ensure you transfer everything over to your new device safely.

The Notes app on your phone could soon get a worthy competitor although an unlikely one. The Meta-owned and highly popular messaging app, WhatsApp, will soon let users message themselves. 

Several apps like Slack already have this feature which adds a personal space for users to jot down notes by sending messages to themselves. Now, WhatsApp is finally joining this list and the update is currently being rolled out to iOS and Android devices.

The feature will be available to use in a similar manner to starting a chat with someone in your contact list. However, the option to message yourself will also be pinned to the top of your list of contacts and you can even add a shortcut to a chat with yourself to your home screen, if you want.

WhatsApp has said that this chat will be end-to-end encrypted. Until now the only way to message yourself on WhatsApp was to create a group with someone, remove them and then use that space for your notes. But it's not just for quick notes though as users can also use this feature as a way to transfer files or images to themselves as well between phones or their laptop and a phone. 

This ties in with another update that WhatsApp might roll out soon — companion mode. First spotted by WABetaInfo, companion mode will let users use their WhatsApp account on upto four mobile devices and even one of the best Android tablets. This will be extremely useful for those who have to keep switching phones or for people who use multiple devices at the same time.

This was already present on WhatsApp Desktop. Along the same lines, your primary phone doesn't have to be turned on or connected to the internet for WhatsApp to work on your companion device. This mode is only available to some beta testers on Android currently but it's expected to roll out to more users soon

After many years of WhatsApp Desktop, Meta is finally expanding accessibility to more than one phone at the same time. This is a move that will have several advantages including having your messages, files, images and now even notes at your fingertips regardless of which device you use.

WhatsApp is one of the biggest messaging apps on the planet, but if you ever find yourself wanting to jump ship (and leave parent company Meta behind for good) you'll need somewhere else to go. That's where the best WhatsApp alternatives come in, offering a different messaging platform.

It doesn't matter how much you disagree with recent policy changes at Meta, losing WhatsApp isn't as easy as ditching your Facebook account or Meta Quest headset. It's the only way to talk to people that only use WhatsApp, and that means you can't completely jump ship until everyone else does. That's not to say you can't start getting yourself ready for the big change.

The best WhatsApp alternatives offer end-to-end encryption, making it a lot more secure than SMS texting, and have many of the same features and security as WhatsApp itself. Here are our favorite WhatsApp alternatives you can download right now.

Signal

Signal is one of the most obvious choices for the more privacy and security conscious. The messaging service has endorsements from the likes of Elon Musk and Edward Snowden — with the latter crediting its security conscious approach for him still being alive.

Not only is Signal completely free, it also supports text messaging and voice, video and group calling. Messages can be set to self-destruct too. Here's our tutorial on how to use Signal.

Signal's open-source end-to-end encryption protocol is also used by WhatsApp, so you'll be getting WhatsApp's security without Facebook's involvement. The Signal app regularly conducts security audits on its software as well, and manages to combine that security with a user-friendly interface that even your technophobic uncle could manage. 

Signal is owned and operated by a non-profit foundation headed by cryptography expert and self-described anarchist Moxie Marlinspike and WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton, who famously left Facebook in 2017 after a public dispute over the future of WhatsApp.

Download Signal: Android, iOS

Telegram

If you’d rather have something similar to WhatsApp and linked to your phone number, Telegram is one option for you. That said, experts have pointed out that Telegram's services aren’t that secure, and its end-to-end encryption is not set up by default. So that’s worth bearing in mind.

That said, Telegram still offers the option to share files, set messages to self-destruct, and chat in groups of up to 200,000 users. It can also sync messages across all your devices, and costs absolutely nothing to use.

Download Telegram: Android, iOS

Apple iMessage

If you’re an iPhone or Mac user, then the simplest option is sometimes the best, and iMessage is the ideal alternative to WhatsApp. Provided you're communicating with fellow iPhone users, that is.

iMessage will let you send messages to all phone numbers, whether they use iMessage or not, but texting to Android devices relies on either RCS or SMS texting. RCS offers better features, but those messages aren't encrypted and it's unclear when that might change. So your Apple-based messages are secure, but everything else isn't.

Still Apple has a proven track record of not bending to demands by governments that it add backdoors to its encryption. So your messages stay safe (unless someone can read your iCloud backups).

iMessage is just as fully-featured as other popular messaging apps, with support for images, GIFs, video and group calls. In some countries iMessage users can even send each other money using Apple Pay.

Video and voice calling is not included in iMessage, and you’ll have to do that in the FaceTime app instead — and FaceTime works only with Apple devices. Why iMessage and FaceTime haven’t been blended into one single communications app isn’t clear, but that’s the way it is. At least it’s already installed on all iPhones and most Macs.

Google Messages

Google Messages is Google’s answer to iMessage, and it's usually available on modern Android phones right out of the box. If you can't find it, you can download Google Messages from Google Play.

Designed to replace your existing SMS app and integrated with all Google’s services, Google Messages is essentially iMessage, but for Android. It's possible to use the service on Windows and Apple devices, but not as a standalone app. Instead you link an Android device to a web browser tab, much like WhatsApp's Linked Devices feature. Which is not ideal if you're rocking an iPhone.

End-to-end encryption is automatic when you’re messaging anyone else with Google Messages and you can send all your usual images and files as you would with something like WhatsApp. The obvious downside is that it only works for phones that support RCS, and since RCS isn't encrypted by default your messages are only secure if the other person is using Google Messages as well.

What Messages doesn’t have is video and voice calling, since that’s all handled by Google Meet. That’s right: Just as iMessage and FaceTime are still separate for some reason, so are Messages and Meet, although the latter's app isn't restricted to Android devices. 

The good news is that Meet is likely already installed on your Android phone, and if it’s not it’s free to download from Google Play. iPhone users can download Meet from the Apple App Store.

Download Google Messages: Android

Download Google Meet: Android, iOS

Threema

Threema is an app dedicated to complete privacy, with the option to use the app with total anonymity. You can connect it to your email or phone number, in case you want people to be able to find you, but unlike a lot of apps that's not mandatory.

Naturally it also lets you send text, voice, picture, and video messages, which are all encrypted. Likewise you can create group chats, send files, and even set up polls to more easily collect feedback from all your contacts. What's more it has a built-in secure browser, and like WhatsApp everything is stored on your phone rather than some random server anyone can access.

Threema itself is based in Switzerland, which is known for its strong privacy laws, but it hasn't really caught on in other countries. The lack of name recognition and the $6 pricetag might make it hard to convince other people to migrate with you.

Download Threema: Android, iOS

Wire

Another option hailing from Switzerland and it's strong privacy laws, Wire is another encrypted messenger with the usual array of messaging options. It lets you chat via voice, text, and video, while also supporting things like GIFS, file sharing, and all the other stuff you like from WhatsApp.

Unlike WhatsApp it's able to sync across devices, and supports multiple accounts for those times you need to keep your communications separate.

Wire uses its own open-source encryption protocol called Proteous, but it's based on the Signal protocol used by both Signal and WhatsApp and undergoes regular security audits to keep it secure.

Wire is free for mobile and desktop users, though there is a paid tier designed for businesses.

Download Wire: Android, iOS

Viber

Owned by Japanese e-retailer Rakuten, Viber is a service that started life as a VoIP app and gradually grew to include things like text messaging, voice calls, group messaging, fully synced desktop and mobile apps, and more. All tied to your phone number

Like other services on this list it's also end-to-end encrypted, but features unique features including AR-powered selfie lenses (in partnership with Snapchat), group video calls, and a 'Communities' features that is basically a social network that lets people across the world discuss specific topics of interest.

Viber is free to use, though you can subscribe to 'Viber Out', a service that lets you make unlimited international calls to phones that don't have Viber installed. It's $6 a month.

Download Viber: Android | iOS

Other options

While the options above are some of the best alternatives to WhatsApp, there are still other options available to you. Particularly of note are the best encrypted messaging apps, which offer many of the same features.

Whether you opt for something a little less high profile, like Wickr Me, or something with an actual price tag attached like the $10 a month Silent Phone. If you want to ditch WhatsApp, but are still hooked into the Facebook ecosystem, you can even use Facebook Messenger. The opportunities for communication are endless, you just need to find the right option for you.

Why would you want to leave WhatsApp?

WhatsApp is almost ubiquitous in many regions of the world. It's an important tool for businesses and personal communication, with its brand recognition and popularity making it the go-to option for a lot of people. Particularly for cross-platform communication, where you can't just rely on iMessage of Google Messages.

However recent developments have started hammering home WhatsApp's relationship to parent company Facebook. The same Facebook that's almost constantly in the news for some major controversy or another. The controversy over the WhatsApp privacy policy from a few years ago caused many people to fear that WhatsApp would start sharing more information with Facebook — with rumors that the contents of messages may also be accessible.

WhatsApp denied these claims, and insisted that not only were messages safe and inaccessible thanks to end-to-end encryption, the privacy policy only meant Facebook would be able to access data from how you interact with businesses on the platform. But it hammered home just how close the two companies really are.

Similarly we've seen some major global Facebook outages send the social media giant's systems offline across the world. This affected all Facebook-owned services including Whatsapp. The worst outage lasted for several hours, and anyone who relied on WhatsApp (or Facebook) for communication was completely cut off. Meta itself has been in the news over controversial decisions by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, which many speculate is the billionaire trying to curry favor with President Donald Trump.

It's incidents like these that might make you want to leave WhatsApp for good. Or at the very least sort out an alternative in case the app ever becomes inaccessible again.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best video chat apps in 2025
• FBI warns Apple and Android users to avoid RCS messaging — here's why
• The best encrypted messaging apps in 2025

WhatsApp updates often come thick and fast. That's no surprise, as it's the world’s most popular chat app, with an estimated 2 billion users flinging messages around the globe every single month. 

So the Facebook-owned service is constantly being enhanced and upgraded, implementing new features and occasionally making changes to the privacy terms and functionality.

If you’re one of the WhatsApp faithful, then it’s worth keeping tabs on the latest updates and changes made to the app, as well as potential additions and tweaks on the horizon.

Latest WhatsApp updates news (updated October 25)

WhatsApp gets a tool for blurring images on its desktop beta

WhatsApp is rolling out a tool for the beta version of its desktop app that lets users blur images in messages to obscure potentially sensitive information from prying eyes, according to WABetaInfo. 

Currently, it's only accessible for some beta testers, but could be rolled out to more and eventually find its way into the main desktop WhatsApp app in the near-future. In action, the tool lets users draw a box around parts of an image that can be blurred out; one can imagine using it to obfuscate names and numbers. 

August  23: WhatsApp group chat admins could soon delete messages for everyone 

Code detectives WABetaInfo have found that in the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS admins of WhatsApp group chats have the power to delete messages sent by others in the group. 

That means they could delete the messages of up to some 256 people who could be included in a group chat, if this feature does make it out of beta and into the full version of WhatsApp. Such a thing would mean a lot of power for the admin, potentially open for abuse with messages being erased as a form of deleting history. Though it could also be used as a tool to remove hateful, abusive or inappropriate messages too. 

August 17: WhatsApp now has a standalone native Windows app 

You can no use WhatsApp on Windows PCs without needing to link the app to your phone number in order to send, receive and sync messages. This is all thanks to a native Windows WhatsApp app coming out of beta and into general availability; you can download it through the Microsoft Store. 

Before hand users would need to download a web version of the app, or use WhatsApp with in a browser of their choice. But a native Windows app promises to make for a more responsive and faster experience, all without needing any linking to a phone number. 

August 10: WhatsApp to let you leave group chats without alerting others

WhatsApp is poised to let users quick group chats without making it obvious to those in the group that they've left; an ideal feature for virtual introverts. 

“New privacy features coming to WhatsApp: exit group chats without notifying everyone, control who can see when you're online, and prevent screenshots on view once messages,” CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post.

August 9: WhatsApp now lets you delete messages two days after sending them

WhatsApp is now letting users delete sent messages up to two days and 12 hours after they first sent them, which could b e a boon for people wanting to retract embarrassing messages or sent images. 

This is a big upgrade on the previous deletion time of one hours, eight minutes and 16 seconds previously enabled by the instant messaging service. 

July 21: Official support for moving WhatsApp chats from Android to iOS is live

At long last, you can now use the Move to iOS Android app to move your entire chat history from your old Android phone to your new iPhone. There are a few limitations and the process can take a while, but this is a hugely liberating feature that will allow users trapped in one phone ecosystem to move to the other.

This follows the previously available feature that lets you make the move the opposite way - from iOS to Android.

You can now mute individuals on WhatsApp group calls

WhatsApp now lets users mute others on group calls, thereby cutting out potentially disruptive noise from people who may not realize they need to mute their mic. 

“You can now mute or message specific people on a call (great if someone forgets to mute themselves!), and we've added a helpful indicator so you can more easily see when more people join large calls," said Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp at Meta. 

May 18: WhatsApp could soon let you stealthily leave group chats 

The code divers at WABetaInfo have reported that WhatsApp is currently testing out the ability to leave a group chat discreetly. This new feature seemingly lets users leave groups without a notification being posted for everybody to see. Instead, your departure will only be flagged to the group admins. 

Currently, when you leave a WhatsApp group, a notification will be posted in the chat informing every member of your decision to vacate the group. In most instances, this isn’t a huge problem but if you want to quietly step out of a WhatsApp group without facing any awkward questions, it can be a little irritating having your exit practically announced by megaphone. We'd be pretty confident this test feature will make its way into the full release of WhatsApp. 

May 9: WhatsApp gets a major official upgrade 

WhatsApp rolled out some major changes aimed at making the service that much better — and in some cases much closer to competing messenger apps. Among the changes are the ability to react to messages with emojis, send files up to 2GB in size and even bigger group chats.

Previously group chats could include up to 256 people at any given time, which is already a pretty big number. The latest version lets up to 512 people take part, and you better hope they’re not all trying to talk at once; that would sound like a nightmarish conversation to try and keep up with.

The increased file-sharing size is also welcome. The previous limit was just 100MB, which isn’t a great deal these days — especially if you want to share video. 2GB may not sound like much, but it does offer a great deal more flexibility when it comes to sending things via WhatsApp.

January 7: WhatsApp on iOS is set to get profile photo notifications in a future update 

After doing some digging in the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS, WABetaInfo has discovered that version 2.22.1.1 of the beta will offer profile photos in message notifications.

Right now, WhatsApp on iOS simply displays the senders name, and depending on your notification settings within iOS 15, it will simply say "notification" below the name rather than offer any preview of the message's content. This won't change per se, but at least getting a profile image of the sender with a notification adds a bit more dynamism to the notifications. It could also help make it easier for users to parse who has messaged them in a quick glance; reading text at speed when walking down a busy street isn't always easy. 

When this proposed feature will become available in the full version of WhatsApp ins't clear, but it's an indication that the messaging service is already gearing up for a year of new feature updates. 

You can now preview WhatsApp voice messages before you send them

Having been released out of a preview stage, WhatsApp will now let users preview their voice messages in the instant messaging app before they send them. At the risk of stating the obvious, the new feature will help you ensure that you don't accidentally send something with a vocal mistake in or an overly-wrought and rambling voice note. 

Equally, for those of you who can fire off sharp messages when feeling feisty or hot-headed, this feature gives you a chance to reflect on what you've said before you send on it, think of it as a form of personal social safety measure. 

Or as WhatsApp puts it: "By reviewing a draft of a voice recording before you send it, you can send your outgoing message with confidence." 

November 9, 2021: WhatsApp beta on iOS, Android and more now supports multi-device compatibility

The WhatsApp public beta across multiple formats now supports multi-device combability, which as the name suggests, allows you to use WhatsApp across several devices rather than needing to transfer it over each time.

"The multi-device beta is an opt-in program that gives you early access to try a new version of WhatsApp for Web, Desktop, and Portal," a WhatsApp blog post explained.  "If you join the multi-device beta, you'll be able to use linked companion devices without the need to keep your phone connected." 

Up to four companion devices can be connected at one time. And interestingly, if you don't connect to one of these devices across 14 days time, they'll be disconnected, thus helping with security. Speaking of which, end-to-end encryption will be applied across all these companion devices. 

October 14, 2021: WhatsApp could soon let you manage unruly chat backups 

One annoying aspect of WhatsApp is that chat backups can quickly balloon in size if not looked after, especially if you're in chat where people send a lot of images and videos. These backups can become gigabytes in size, making swapping phones and restoring chats an arduous process.

However, that could soon change as the folks at WABetaInfo have done a deep dive into the latest WhatsApp beta and found a function that called "Manage backup size" to provide users with more control over what gets backed up, as well as a real-time estimate on the size of a potential back up before it's executed. 

This seems like a rather useful feature and one we'd expect Facebook to bring to WhatsApp, rather than just a feature it's experimenting with. 

October 8, 2021: WhatsApp Beta for iOS is now rolling out end-to-end encrypted backups

Your WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, which means nobody can access those messages except you and the person (or people) you sent it to. However your iCloud backups are not so secure. They are encrypted, but since they lack end-to-end encryption it means Apple can decrypt them if they wanted to.

But WABetaInfo has discovered end-to-end encrypted backups on the iOS version of WhatsApp. This means decryption keys belong to the user, and ensures your chats are kept safe should anyone gain access to your iCloud account. 

There's no word when it'll come out of beta, but it means you shouldn't have long to wait to add that extra bit of security to your conversations.

September 15, 2021: WhatsApp is going to let you transcribe voice notes, for those times you can't listen in

Voice notes are useful, but only if you can actually listen to them. If you can't they're basically useless, and that may be why WhatsApp is going to give you the option of transcribing them.

First spotted on iOS by WABetaInfo, and then later confirmed by WhatsApp, the feature will send audio off to be transcribed and sent back in readable format. However rather than sending it to parent company Facebook, which has a reputation for not caring about user privacy, iOS data will be sent to Apple. Presumably this feature would send Android voice data to Google instead, though that's not been confirmed.

Unfortunately WhatsApp has said this feature is still in the “very early stages of designing and prototyping." So it's not going to be arriving anytime soon.

August 14. 2021: WhatsApp is about to get two of the most requested features on Android

There's a lot WhatsApp can do, but there's still plenty of missing features that users wish they had. Thankfully two of them are on the way: the option to transfer chat history between Android devices, and better multi-device support.

Multi-device support is currently available to beta users, letting you access WhatsApp on four different devices at the same time — even if your phone isn't in reach. Devices will still need to link to your phone, however, and the link will expire if you don't use your phone for two weeks.

Transferring chat history on Android is currently slated as a timed-Samsung exclusive, and is set to arrive on Samsung phones within the next few weeks. However it will also be coming to other Android phones ion the near future — we just don't know when.

August 10, 2021: New WhatsApp Android beta brings in "affectionate" emojis

The regular beta code miners at WABetaInfo have uncovered new emojis for Android beta WhatsApp users, with an emphasis on affectionate designs. Following the Unicode Consortium's Emoji 13.1 update, which introduces 217 new official universal emojis for others to incorporate or build upon, the new WhatsApp emojis have reportedly appeared on the 2.21.16.10 WhatsApp Android beta. 

They include new heart emojis, seeming communicating a mended heart and a burning heart, as well as close affection between people. While another seems to be an emoji for having one's 'head in the clouds.' These emojis are very likely to come to the full Android version of WhatsApp before too long, given they're available on the iOS 14.5 version of WhatsApp already.  

August 4, 2021: WhatsApp View Once photo and video messages are now available to all 

WhatsApp has started rolling out the View Once feature, which was part of the beta version (see below), allowing users to enable photos and videos to be automatically deleted once they've been viewed. 

Such messages will be marked with a new “one-time” icon, so you'll know that once you've viewed it it'll be gone once you've closed the chat. And if you don't open a View Once photo or video it'll be deleted within 14 days of it being sent. And nor can users save or forward photos or videos they've received that have been tagged as View Once. 

To use the feature you must select View One each time you send a video or photo, which should help you avoid sending photos that you want the recipient to hold on to.  Just be aware that there'll still be time for photo and video recipients to take a screenshot of the photo or use screen recording to capture the video, so do make sure you're sending View Once messages to trusted contacts. 

Not only is the View Once feature a boon for privacy-conscious people, it will also avoid filling up a photo of gallery app with images and videos users might not want to keep. 

July 28, 2021: WhatsApp could be working on an iOS to Android chat history transfer feature

The latest code digging from WABetaInfo has found an option in the WhatsApp beta that lets iPhone users swapping to Android phones move their chat history across to Android devices. 

It's reportedly done as simply as scanning a QR code served up in the iOS WhatsApp app or by navigating to the settings menu and accessing the transfer option there. 

Such an option would make it easier to move from an iPhone to one of our best Android phones. But there's no clear timeline on when the feature will come to the full release of WhatsApp on iOS. Hopefully it'll arrive sooner than later, especially as the iPhone 13 might not offer enough of an upgrade over the iPhone 12, so some people might want to move over to rumored upcoming phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. 

July 20, 2021: WhatsApp now lets you join group calls that have already begun

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that lets users to join a group call that's already started even if they ignored the call to start with.

Prior to this, in order to join a group call you had to accept the invitation when it was first sent out at the start of the call. But now you can just head over to the Calls tab and join from there.

July 12, 2021: WhatsApp disappearing messages come to the iOS beta

The current WhatsApp beta for iOS supports disappearing messages, according to some digging done by WABetaInfo in the WhatsApp version 2.21.140.9 on Testflight. This apparently enables users to send photos and videos that effectively self-destruct once they have been viewed once. 

Such a feature is likely to be handy for people who are very privacy-conscious, at least when it rolls out to the full version of WhatsApp. But this will not prevent recipients of the message to screenshot it and save it for later, so this feature isn't fool proof.   

The view once feature will need to be enabled by users, and as it's rolling out to beta users, you may need to wait for it to be added into your WhatsApp beta. For people not on the beta programme, you may be out of luck as at the time of writing, it's full up. 

July 12, 2021: WhatsApp has found a way to make your photos and videos look better

Going by a new feature spotted by  WABetaInfo in the latest WhatsApp beta, a "best quality" option for sending photos of videos could be coming to the messaging service. 

As the name suggests, this is looking like a way to send high-quality photos and videos if you have the cellular connection or Wi-Fi to support it. 

July 1, 2021: WhatsApp is reportedly testing “View Once” messages

WhatsApp could be getting into Snapchat-like ephemeral messaging, according to a report from WABetaInfo, which notes the rollout of a new “View Once” feature will let users see certain incoming messages only once before they are erased forever. The service has offered self-deleting messages in the past, but not with such a limited window for viewing them.

WABetaInfo reported the View Once features is currently rolling out on the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.14.3 for specific beta testers. Once the message is viewed, the sender will know that it has been seen. Once it is closed, the message is deleted forever.

June 27, 2021: WhatsApp is testing new voice message feature 

Another beta deep dive by WABetaInfo has found that WhatsApp is testing a tweaked version of the voice messages feature, which not only allows users to see a waveform of their voice when recording a message, but also lets them stop a recording to listen back to their message before sending it. 

The latter part isn't possible in the current full version of WhatsApp on iOS or Android, meaning it's all-too-easy to record and send a message without being able to check it beforehand. WABetaInfo posted a video of the Voice Waveform feature in action, which would signal that it's likely to make it to the full release of WhatsApp. 

WhatsApp useful links

• How to use WhatsApp
• How to get WhatsApp Dark Mode
• How To Update WhatsApp to Latest Version on Android and iPhone
• How to download WhatsApp Messenger
• How to switch from WhatsApp to Signal
• How to use WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop
• How to send disappearing photos and videos in WhatsApp

You have to be careful about which apps you install, because you never know what could be a dangerous knockoff trying to steal your data. One prime example of this has been revealed by security researchers at Kaspersky, which has revealed two fake WhatsApp Android apps that aim to steal user access keys.

The two apps are called “YoWhatsApp” and “WhatsApp Plus," and are designed to offer special features in addition to the usual suite of WhatsApp tools. The Kaspersky report (via Bleeping Computer) notes that YoWhatsApp offers a customizable interface and individual chat room blocks.

Sadly, as is far too common, these apps have a nefarious purpose: stealing user access keys with the help of the Triada Trojan. Once those keys have been acquired, it gives attackers the chance to access unwitting victims’ accounts. 

This then allows the attackers to do various things without your consent, including subscribing you to premium services that they control. Gaining cyber criminals money, and draining your bank account in the process. Having access keys also gives hackers the ability to eavesdrop on conversations and steal personal data.

Other dangers include account takeover and impersonation, both of which could be used to spread malware or scams to your contacts — should the attackers feel the urge.

Kaspersky hasn’t said whether stolen access keys have been exploited yet, but revealed the knockoff apps were being advertised by other, legitimate apps like Snaptube and Vidmate. Though the company suspects that those apps had no clue they were being used to advertise malware and have since been notified.

Sadly, this kind of thing is not uncommon, and earlier this month WhatsApp parent company Meta sued multiple Chinese companies, which it accused of stealing over a million WhatsApp accounts via fake versions of WhatsApp.

Bleeping Computer notes that not all WhatsApp clones are deliberately malicious. That said, it's always safest to avoid these sorts of cloned apps, and stick to the official versions that aren’t trying to steal from you. Users with knock-off apps installed should also uninstall them as soon as they can.

It’s also recommended that you avoid side-loading apps via APK files, since they haven’t gone through the safety checks afforded by Google Play. Security on Google Play (and to a lesser extent Apple's App Store) is far from perfect, but it's a heck of a lot safer than installing software from unknown sources.

If you have WhatsApp installed on your phone, you should make sure that you’re updated to the latest version. Otherwise you are potentially putting your phone at risk, following the discovery of not one, but two zero-day flaws within the messaging app.

Over the past few days, reports have surfaced (via Naked Security) about the vulnerabilities. The good news is that WhatsApp had already identified and patched the flaws, sending out updates to the appropriate app stores. But the fact these were zero-day flaws means you need to double check that your version of the app is totally up to date.

A zero-day security flaw is, in simple terms, one where hackers have the advantage — exploiting a hole in security before the development team is aware of it. They have had “zero days” to work on fixing a vulnerability before it's discovered by external forces, in other words.

Other flaws are identified by different means, with no evidence that anyone outside the company is aware of them. Both are serious, but the zero-day flaw is arguably the worst of the two since users are very much at risk from bad actors from the get-go.

In this instance both flaws allowed potential remote code execution. As Naked Security puts it, this could allow for bad actors to booby-trap data and force the app to crash. More skilled hackers could potentially exploit the circumstances of a crash to cause other kinds of unauthorized activity. Normally this involves malware or trying to take remote control of the afflicted device. 

Bug descriptions suggest that one of the bugs required a call to connect before being triggered. The second one appears as though it could be triggered at other points you might be using WhatsApp. 

Similarly, if hackers are able to access your WhatsApp app, it means they can access all your private communications and contacts. That could easily be exploited for a variety of purposes, least of which is selling the information on to others.

Frankly, none of this sounds like a lot of fun. Which is why you should make sure WhatsApp is all up to date. Naked Security notes that anything newer than version 2.22.16.12, on Android and iOS is safe from both these flaws. 

Currently the Apple App Store is offering version 2.22.19.78 and Google Play has version 2.22.19.76. In short, both platforms appear to be well past the danger zone — provided you’re running the latest version of the software. 

So be sure to go into your respective app store and make sure you don’t have any updates pending. And if there are, get them downloaded pronto.

Read next: A new iOS tool could be a malware nightmare, and this is how iPhone owners can stay safe.

If you're one of the messaging service's 2 billion users, knowing how to use the WhatsApp widget on Android will open up a whole new way to use the app.

As one of the best encrypted messaging apps and best video chat apps, WhatsApp offers a secure way to stay in touch with all your contacts, as well as a bunch of privacy settings to make how you use the app more personal to you. 

Among the settings available is the ability to disable read receipts, either for individual contacts or for everyone. The problem with that, though, is that you also lose the ability to see read receipts from messages you've sent. However, the WhatsApp widget on Android has been harboring a little-known loophole this whole time — the ability to read your WhatsApp messages without sending a read receipt, but still see read receipts from others. 

Though the widget has been around for several years now, it's one of those things that you maybe didn't know about — and definitely something that you will want to use now you know it exists. It's really easy to set it up and start using, as we cover in the quick guide below.

How to use the WhatsApp widget on Android

Note: This guide is based on Samsung devices, though the steps should be similar for other devices.

1. On your device's home screen, tap and hold on an empty space then tap Widgets to open the list of widgets on your device.

2. To find the WhatsApp widget, either scroll through the list of widgets on your device or type WhatsApp into the search bar. Once it appears, tap WhatsApp to see the list of WhatsApp widgets.

3. You should now see three widgets. The one we want is the large box with text inside it. Tap and hold this widget and then drop it on your home screen where you would like it to be. You can also resize the widget once it's been dropped onto your home screen — the larger the widget is, the more messages you'll be able to preview.

And that's it. You can now read all your WhatsApp messages by using this widget, and not have to worry about read receipts being sent. One caveat is that this only works with text, so you won't be able to preview any images or videos with the app. But still, it's a cool feature that will take the pressure off to reply to messages right away.

Now you know how to use the WhatsApp widget on Android, take a look at how to send disappearing photos and videos in WhatsApp if you want to send media more securely. Or if you want to go the whole hog and turn off read receipts completely, check out how to turn off read receipts on WhatsApp.

In the world of messaging apps, Telegram stands out as a popular choice among the best encrypted messaging apps. While their are Telegram rivals out there like Signal or Whatsapp, users often find themselves drawn to Telegram's unique features. 

This cloud-based instant messaging service offers a blend of security, functionality, and customization that sets it apart from its competitors. Whether you're looking for enhanced privacy, larger group chats, or the ability to share files of any size, Telegram might be the solution you've been searching for. 

Telegram is similar to Apple’s Messages but it has dedicated apps for all platforms — PC, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS — and it also allows you to set up secret chats with messages that can self-destruct after a set amount of time, giving you a new level of privacy. In this guide, we'll explore what Telegram is, its key features, and how to use it effectively.

Telegram is not as secure as you might think

Telegram has come under scrutiny by security experts who say its cryptography is untested and not secure enough to be used by political dissidents or other people transmitting highly sensitive information. However, to date, no one has figured out how to break Telegram's encryption.

Many experts recommend using Signal or WhatsApp instead as both use the Signal protocol for their encryption. The main difference between Signal and Telegram is that Telegram’s text chats are not end-to-end encrypted by default. Chats on both other platforms are.

This means that Telegram can read your messages and could possibly have to hand them over following a request to do so by law enforcement. While Telegram is legally based in London, it also has some operations in Dubai.

Telegram’s one-to-one voice and video calls are both end-to-end encrypted but its group voice chats are not. 

How to install Telegram

1. Download the Telegram app

• iPhone and iPad
• Android
• Windows Phone (yes, even Windows Phone!)
• Windows
• Linux 64-bit; Linux 32-bit
• macOS ; Mac App Store version
• Chrome browser extension
• You can also use the web version.

Note: Before using the desktop versions of Telegram, you have to set it up using a mobile app.

2. Register your phone number

Immediately after you do this, Telegram will send your phone an SMS text message containing a code for number verification. If you don't enter the verification code within three minutes, Telegram will call your phone.

3. Enter the SMS verification code

The Telegram app will have a field into which you input the SMS verification code.

4. Telegram may call your phone instead

A robotic voice will read out a five-digit code, which you can then enter into the app.

5. Enter your display name

Telegram requires that you give it at least a first name but this doesn't have to be your real first name as it serves as a display name. However, your display name isn't your username and others can't use it to find your account. If they do want to find your account, they would need to search for you by your username instead.

6. Let Telegram access your contacts

Unfortunately, you can't just type in a phone number and start messaging. You'll need to grant Telegram permission to access your contacts before you can message anyone. However, people who are not in your contacts can still invite you to Telegram chats.

7. (Optional) Let Telegram access your files and lockscreen

Telegram will ask you to let it access your photos, media and files so that you can use the app to send photos and other files. It also wants to access your lockscreen  so it can show you incoming calls. 

You can pass on both these options, but Telegram will be a lot more useful if you don't.

8. (Recommended) Set a separate Telegram PIN

Telegram doesn't require you to create a password or PIN to use the app. Just unlocking your phone will be enough to gain access to the Telegram app and your account.

That's a problem if someone else gets access to your phone and can unlock it. To protect your Telegram account, set up a separate four-digit PIN. 

Go to the "hamburger" menu in the top left corner of the app and select Settings > Privacy & Security > Passcode Lock.

You'll have to enter the PIN, ahem, "passcode," periodically to keep using Telegram, but you can change the amount of time before the passcode entry is required.

But be forewarned that if you forget the PIN, you'll have to delete the Telegram app and start over again. Secret Chats will be lost; non-Secret chats that are stored on Telegram's servers should be retrievable.

9. (Optional) Add two-step verification

You can also set up Telegram to require an alphanumeric password every time you log in on a new device. (Note: This is not the same thing as two-factor authentication and doesn't provide the same amount of protection.)

Go to the "hamburger" menu in the top left corner and select Settings > Privacy & Security > Two-Step Verification. Then set up Two-Step Verification in the same Privacy & Security section.

You'd better write down that password, because if you forget it, you'll be limited to using Telegram on only one device.

Now that you've set up Telegram on your phone, you can also install and use it on Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS or on a desktop the desktop web browser. 

All you need is your phone number and the phone that number's connected to in order to receive the SMS verification code.

How to use Telegram

Using Telegram to send a message is as easy as selecting a contact and starting to write.

Start a Telegram one-on-one chat

Click on the new message button (the pencil), select a contact, and start writing. 

By default, all communications are encrypted between your device and Telegram's servers, and then between Telegram's servers and your contact, but Telegram will be able to read your conversations.

Start a Telegram group conversation

You can also create a new group conversation by clicking on New Group and selecting multiple contacts from your contact list. Groups can contain up to 200,000 members, but they cannot be end-to-end encrypted. Anything said in a Group chat can be read by Telegram.

Telegram also offers voice and video chats for groups.

Start a Telegram Secret Chat

Telegram has the ability to set up Secret Chats with your friends. 

To start a Secret Chat, tap the pencil icon, then tap New Secret Chat. Then select the contact with whom you'd like to have a Secret Chat.

A Secret Chat matches the privacy and security of WhatsApp or Signal because the communications are fully encrypted from one device to the other, and Telegram will not be able to read your conversations.

Your phone screenshot functionality will be disabled during Secret Chats, and messages send during Secret Chats cannot be forwarded to other users. You also can't access a Secret Chat on a device different from the one you started it on.

(Optional) Set Secret Chats to self-destruct

Click on the three-dot menu on the top right corner of the Secret Chat screen to set up a self-destruct timer. 

This means that every message you send during a Secret Chat will have an expiration time before it disappears from the conversation. The timer can be set from anything from one second to one week.

Join a Telegram channel

Channels are like radio stations, broadcasting messages from a single source to an unlimited number of Telegram subscribers to those channels. However, you can't respond to channel messages the way you could to a message broadcast on Twitter or Facebook.

Channels - which can be public or private - can broadcast text, photos, videos, files and podcasts. They can also host mass voice group chats, akin to Clubhouse. In addition to massive voice chats, channels can also be used for live streams with unlimited viewers.

To subscribe to a public Telegram channel, tap the magnifying-glass icon at the top of the Telegram home page, then type in the name of the channel you're looking for. 

Select the right search result, and you'll be shown a preview of the latest posts to that channel. If it looks appealing to you, tap "Join" at the bottom of the screen.

Start a Telegram channel

It's just as easy to start a Telegram channel as it is to start a chat. Just tap the pencil icon on the home screen and then tap "New Channel." 

You'll have to give your new channel a name and can provide an optional description. 

Then you decide whether your channel is private or public. If it's public, any Telegram user can search for it by name; if it's private, you'll be given a link that you can sent to people who you want to invite.

Telegram itself doesn't post lists of public Telegram channels, but you can use Google to find some. Here are a couple of lists.

Start a Telegram voice or video call

Like WhatsApp, Telegram lets you make voice and video calls. Go to the "hamburger"  menu on the top left, tap Contacts and select someone from your contact list.

Tap that contact, then tap the three vertical dots on the top of the resulting screen and select either Call or Video Call.

If you haven't already given Telegram permission to take pictures and record audio and video, now's the time. 

Other cool Telegram features

The app has other privacy features. From the Settings menu you can choose to delete any payment or shipping information sent in all conversations you have.

The app also has an option to destroy your account and all associated data if you don’t use it in more than six months — in case you forget to do it yourself. You can change that to one month, three months or a year.

Any message, from any time, can be "unsent" by either the sender or the recipient. The message will be deleted from both the sender's and the receiver's phone.

An "anonymous forwarding" option makes sure, when enabled, that only your name is displayed if anyone forwards your messages. The name will not link back to your account.

There’s a lot more to learn, including customization of notifications for groups, channels and private chats; font size, backgrounds, list mode and color themes for chats; and night mode, emojis and animations. All of those are in the Settings menu.

There's just too much to go into here, but now that we've given you the basics, try Telegram and have fun. (Antivirus maker Kaspersky has a long list of additional Telegram privacy options.) Just be aware that it's not as private as Signal or WhatsApp until you turn on the Secret Chat mode.

Now you've mastered Telegram, why not buff up on your knowledge of other chat apps? Get started by learning how to use the WhatsApp Android widget and How to rejoin a group chat on WhatsApp. Also, check out how to schedule iMessages to send later in iOS 18. 

More and more of us these days are choosing to value our digital privacy than ever – from using data removal services, disposable email addresses, or VPNs, we’re all more aware of what our online thumbprint is. If you’re not already using one of the best encrypted messaging apps, make sure you check out one of our picks below. They’re an ideal way to protect your messages from prying eyes including – the companies that make them.

This is because these apps come with encryption methods that are so strong that even government agencies can't crack them. Even the FBI recommends using an encrypted app if you’re communicating between smartphone platforms. Most of these apps use end-to-end encryption, meaning only the sender and recipient of a message can see its contents.

Though both Apple’s iMessage and Google’s Messages app use end-to-end encryption, neither is fully secure – iMessages also handles unencrypted SMS texts, while Google’s Messages app requires both people to have RCS chats turned on. That’s why you’re better off using an encrypted messaging app to ensure that all of your chats are protected.

The best encrypted messaging apps you can download today

Signal has become the benchmark encrypted messaging app over the past few years, so much so that its underlying technology powers other popular messengers such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. But being a non-profit organization, Signal isn’t connected to tech monoliths like Meta.

Its secret sauce is the Signal Protocol, which uses advanced cryptographic techniques and end-to-end encryption to protect all user communications by default. And because this technology is open-source, its code is freely available to the world’s brightest cybersecurity boffins, whose combined knowledge ensures the app is always impenetrable.

With Signal, you can send messages, make voice and video calls, and share files free of charge. The app is also great for staying in touch with large numbers of people, as it supports group chats of up to 150 people and group calls of up to 40 participants.

On the messaging front, Signal offers handy features like disappearing messages, message scheduling, text formatting, the ability to edit messages up to ten times in the first 24 hours, and emoji reactions. You can also customize your chats using color gradients, wallpapers, and themes.

As well as being fully encrypted, Signal has lots of neat privacy extras. These include a screen lock for accessing the app with biometrics or a passcode and Screen Security, which ensures your messages and other content cannot be previewed in the app switcher if your phone ends up in the wrong hands. Thanks to an image-blurring tool, you can even protect the privacy of your loved ones by blocking out their faces if they're featured in photos you send via the app.

Although you do need a phone number to create a Signal account, you have the option of hiding it from other users and instead displaying a unique username that can be changed at any time. Signal is available on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux, and there’s also a Chrome extension.

Download Signal: Android, iOS

Telegram is another highly respected and popular encrypted messenger, boasting 950 million active users worldwide. It allows users to send text messages, photos, videos, and files, as well as make voice and video calls.

In addition to one-to-one communications, Telegram supports group chats that can host up to 200,000 people. Features like replies, mentions, hashtags, and designated admins ensure these insanely large groups are well organized and efficient. Group members can also communicate with each other via voice calls.

With Telegram Channels, it’s possible to reach an unlimited number of people. But unlike group chats, these are designed for one-way broadcasting and not facilitating conversations. Either way, they’re a very handy feature for business users and influencers trying to build their personal brand.

If you’re more of a visual communicator, you’ll be happy to learn that Telegram has an animated gif search function, a sticker and emoji platform, and built-in photo and video editing tools. And because Telegram is powered by the cloud, you can access your messages and content on multiple devices simultaneously — including smartphones, tablets, and computers. It offers apps for iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, and Linux.

Although Telegram has end-to-end encryption, it’s not default like Signal. Instead, you need to head into the app settings and activate Telegram’s Secret Chats feature to enjoy end-to-end encryption. Without this feature turned on, you’ll only get client-server encryption, meaning Telegram can technically see your messages when they reach its servers. This feature also has self-destructing chats, photos, videos, and files. For extra privacy, you can set up a passcode so that nobody else can access your Telegram account.

Something else to bear in mind about Telegram is that while the code of its app is open-source, this isn’t the case for its MTProto encryption protocol. The lack of transparency surrounding its encryption technology means it cannot be vetted for security issues by third-party cyber experts.

Download Telegram: Android, iOS

If you’re looking for a messaging service that requires zero personal information, look no further than Session. Unlike most messaging services, you don’t need to provide a phone number or email address to create an account. You simply download the app, load it up on your device, create a display name, and a way you go.

When you sign up for a Session account, you’re automatically assigned a public and private key pair comprising an account ID and a recovery password. Cryptographically protected, the account ID functions as your public-facing contact information. Meanwhile, the recovery password is only accessible by yourself and is used for logging into your Session account on other devices. Neither can be changed.

Using Session, you can send messages and attachments, create group chats with up to 100 participants, and call people. Every message and piece of content shared on Session is end-to-end encrypted and routed through a decentralized network of servers. This prevents the app’s creators and other third parties from finding out your identity or tracking your activity. You can also set messages to disappear and disable read receipts.

Centralized servers aren’t just great for preventing data tracking and leakage, though. They also mean there isn’t a single point of failure, making Session reliable to use and harder for authoritarian regimes to shut down. Plus, thanks to open-source code, Session can be audited by third-party experts — meaning potential issues affecting the security and reliability of the app can be identified and addressed swiftly.

As well as being highly secure, the Session app has lots of user-friendly features like the ability to customize its appearance using different themes and colors. Session is completely free to use and available on multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, and Linux.

WhatsApp is the world’s most popular instant messaging service, with 2 billion active users worldwide. As well as being super popular, WhatsApp is also end-to-end encrypted by default.

This extends not only to text messages but also audio messages, phone calls, photos, videos, documents, and status updates. And because its encryption technology is based on the highly robust and industry-leading Signal Protocol, you don’t have to worry about your messages or content being leaked.

Features like disappearing messages, a fingerprint lock, and two-step verification add an extra layer of security. Something to be wary about is the fact that WhatsApp is owned by tech giant Meta, rather than a not-for-profit like the Signal Technology Foundation.

With WhatsApp, you can message and call people globally for free. It supports both voice and video calls, as well as group chats. You’re also able to send photos and videos, voice and video notes, emoji reactions, stickers, GIFs, and avatars.

When calling via WhatsApp, you can share your screen with the other person, change your background, and add a filter to alter your appearance. WhatsApp will also let you schedule calls in advance and invite participants to join a call via a link.

Just like Instagram and Snapchat, WhatsApp also allows you to add a status that is shared with your contacts in the Updates tab. It can be a message, photo, video, or GIF, and will disappear after a day, and makes WhatsApp feel like a social networking service.

Meta has also integrated its AI technology into WhatsApp, allowing you to ask any burning questions and get an answer within seconds. You can interact with Meta AI in a one-to-one chat with the bot or in chats with other people.

You can download WhatsApp on Android, iOS, Windows, and MacOS, and with WhatsApp Web, you can message people from your browser. You can use your WhatsApp account on up to four devices, with data seamlessly syncing between them all.

Download WhatsApp: Android, iOS

Briar is a messaging app aimed at people looking to communicate securely and avoid surveillance, such as activists, journalists, politicians, and those living in countries run by authoritarian governments.

Unlike most popular messaging apps with centralized servers, it uses a peer-to-peer network that synchronizes communications directly between devices over the internet, Bluetooth, or external storage devices like USB sticks.

When Briar has access to an internet connection, it’ll transfer messages over the Tor network for anonymous communication. But if you’re using Briar and experience an internet blackout, you can still send messages as the app will sync via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Briar uses end-to-end encryption to protect your messages and stores them locally on your device, rather than a cloud server that can be hacked. Its code is also open-source and publicly available, meaning cybersecurity experts can easily spot and report security vulnerabilities.

Briar is purely a text-based messaging app, so you won’t be able to use it for making voice and video calls. But it isn’t just limited to one-to-one messaging, allowing you to create private group chats with your contacts.

Because Briar prevents screenshotting and recording, authorized parties won’t be able to capture your chats or data. What’s more, you don’t need to provide any personal information when creating an account with Briar. You simply select a nickname and password. Briar is only available for Android devices, though.

Viber is a multi-platform instant messaging service that offers end-to-end encryption by default. So, you don’t have to worry about forgetting to activate this important security feature and exposing your data to internet snoopers.

Along with default end-to-end encryption, Viber offers lots of other features designed to protect your chats and calls. These include disappearing messages, the ability to edit and delete messages for all parties in a chat, online status and message delivery controls for keeping a low profile, private chats that are only accessible with a PIN code, and chats that hide your phone number when messaging new contacts.

You can share private keys with trusted contacts to verify their identities, too. And if they ever change their contact information, you’ll be notified. Viber is, however, let down by the fact that it collects user data such as device identifiers, geolocation data, and user activity — which it uses for purposes like targeted advertising.

Overall, Viber is a highly versatile communications tool. It allows you to message people with text, photos, videos, and files. You can also send voice and video messages, make voice and video calls, and set up group chats and calls. You’re also able to connect with like-minded individuals through Viber Communities, which can host up to one billion people. There’s also the ability to create your own stickers and GIFs, allowing you to be your authentic self on this app.

If you’re looking for a messenger that will play well on all your devices, Viber is a good shout. It offers apps for Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, and Linux, and your data is automatically synchronized across every device you own. It also provides device-to-device call transferring and screen sharing in desktop-based video calls. Viber has a premium offering for making international calls to people who don’t use this service, with $5.99 getting you unlimited calls to 57 countries.

Download Viber: Android, iOS

FAQs

Once WhatsApp began forcing users to share data with Facebook last year, there was a large exodus from the popular chat app with many users turning to other free messaging platforms to communicate instead. Signal and Telegram are two of the most popular alternatives and they are both featured on our list of the best encrypted messaging apps.

However, Signal and Telegram have several key differences and will likely benefit different types of users. Let’s see how they stack up against each other.

Signal vs. Telegram: Features compared

Signal vs. Telegram: Which is more secure?

If security is your main priority, then Signal is the obvious pick. For starters, all Signal messages are end-to-end encrypted by default which means that no one but you and the people you chat with can access your messages.

With Telegram on the other hand, only some of the service’s messages and voice calls have end-to-end encryption. The rest could potentially be visible to Telegram employees, law enforcement and others. We’ll go into more detail on the different message types below.

Signal’s open-source encryption protocol is available for anyone to see and examine and as a result, any security flaws can be found and fixed quickly. It’s also worth noting that its encryption is also used by WhatsApp.

For its encrypted Secret Chats, Telegram uses its own MTProto 2.0 protocol which is open source on the client side. Many security experts have stated that Telegram’s "homegrown encryption technology" has a limited track record compared to Signal's. However, the consensus seems to be that the latest version is more secure than MTProto 1.0 (PDF).

According to an academic research paper published in 2020, Telegram’s MTProto 2.0 protocol is fundamentally sound. Still, the paper added that “further investigation” is needed “in order to deem this protocol suite definitely secure”.

Signal also collects far less data on users than Telegram does. Signal generally only stores the date on which you created your account as well as the last time you connected. In contrast, Telegram’s metadata may include your IP address (which can give away your location) as well as who you are talking to and when. That matters when the authorities show up at Telegram’s facilities with a search warrant.

Although you can start Signal chats by typing in another person’s phone number, Telegram requires access to your contacts before you can message anyone. For those who are concerned about tech companies snooping on their private conversations, Signal once again proves to be the better choice.

While Signal is owned by a non-profit foundation, Telegram was founded by the Russian billionaires Pavel and Nikolai Durov who also created the country’s largest social network, VK. The brothers no longer live in Russia and even though their company is based in London, many of its central operations are in Dubai.

Signal vs. Telegram: Device support

Telegram has a slight edge in this category, with a Chrome browser extension and a fully web-based option. Both Signal and Telegram are available on the following platforms: 

iOS (Signal, Telegram)

MacOS (Signal, Telegram)

Android (Signal, Telegram)

Windows (Signal, Telegram)

Linux (Debian-based distros for Signal, 32-bit and 64-bit versions for Telegram)

Signal vs. Telegram: Installation and ease of use

The installation process for both apps is relatively simple: Download the software for your preferred platform, register using your phone number, and enter the verification code received via SMS. (In some cases, Telegram will call you with the code instead.) 

Both platforms require a first name to finalize your profile, but neither require that name to be your real name. You can use an alias or, with Signal, an emoji. You'll be asked whether you want to enable app permissions, such as access to your contacts.

Signal then requires you to create a PIN. This step is optional, but recommended, with Telegram and can be found under Settings > Privacy & Security > Passcode Lock. 

Before you can enable a desktop version of either Signal or Telegram, you must set up your account via the mobile app. Signal has an in-app QR code for linking other devices. Telegram provides a similar QR code, but you can also use your phone number and an SMS verification code. 

Until earlier this year, Signal required you to create a new account if you changed your phone number. It now permits you to port your account to a new number provided you're still using the same phone. (You can also move your account to a new phone that uses the same number as the old one, as long as you're not switching from Android to iOS or vice versa.)

Changing phone numbers in Telegram is a lot easier and can be done right within the app. Changing phones isn't a problem at all, as multiple devices can be logged into a single Telegram account as long as they use the same phone number. (But you'll want to keep your Telegram password a very close secret.)

Signal vs. Telegram: Features

Both apps are similar when it comes to chat options.

Individual messages: Signal's individual messages are encrypted end-to-end by default, while Telegram's basic one-on-one chats are not. If you want to protect your communications in Telegram from the company itself, you'll have to start a Secret Chat. 

Group chats: Both platforms offer a group messaging option. Again, Signal's is end-to-end encrypted, while Telegram's is not. (There's no Secret Chat equivalent for groups.) Signal groups can include up to 1,000 users while Telegram allows up to 200,000 group members. 

Voice and video calls: Both platforms have voice and video calling. Signal's encrypted calls can be made individually or contain up to 40 users in a group. 

Telegram has end-to-end encrypted, one-on-one video calling as well as a voice-chat feature that allows large groups to hold conversations in which members can come and go. Telegram's group voice chats are encrypted from the client device (i.e., a phone or desktop) to the server, but not from one end to the other. This means that someone who has access to Telegram's servers can listen in.

Disappearing messages: Signal messages in any individual or group chat can be set to disappear within anywhere from five seconds to one week. Telegram has a similar self-destruct option that is no longer only for Secret Chats, but also for regular chats. 

From there, the bonus privacy features differ slightly, and Signal has fewer of them. There's an image-blur tool that allows you to hide faces in photos and videos — handy if you're sending media from protests. There's also a screen-lock setting that requires your password or biometric access to open the app. (Telegram has one too.)

With Telegram, you can opt to delete payment or shipping information communicated in your chats, to unsend messages (which deletes them for both the sender and the recipient), and to self-destruct your account automatically if it goes unused for a set period of time. 

Telegram also operates more like a social-media network with its Channels function and a bunch of other settings we'll get into below. 

Channels allow users to broadcast messages — including text, photos, videos, files and podcasts — to an unlimited number of subscribers. The communication is one-way, like a radio station, and subscribers can't respond to channel messages. Channels can be public or private/invite-only.

Signal vs. Telegram: User experience

Telegram has a lot more options to customize your experience, so in that sense, it's the frontrunner in this category. There are a ton of settings you can adjust around font size and color themes; emojis and animations; and notifications.

The app will create playlists if you send multiple song files at once and launch them in its built-in media player. You can run polls and quizzes, edit photos and videos, and view other users who happen to be physically near you with People Nearby (not a privacy-friendly feature). 

Signal is a much simpler app that focuses on sending basic text, media and voice messages securely, although it introduced animated stickers and added to its available emojis. Overall, Signal is easy to navigate and doesn't require a lot of customization to get the most out of your experience. 

Signal vs. Telegram: Verdict

Ultimately, the choice between Signal and Telegram depends on your priorities. If security and encryption are at the top of your list, Signal is the best option no matter which other features you use.

If you want to be able to send encrypted messages only on occasion and make use of social-network-style features, then Telegram may be a better fit. Just keep in mind that you must actively select Telegram's Secret Chat option if you want your communications to be end-to-end encrypted.

Every WhatsApp user has been unwittingly added to a noisy group chat they want no part of, and while muting stops the constant buzz of notifications, leaving isn’t always an option. That’s because the app currently announces your departure to everyone else, potentially causing diplomatic incidents among friends and family.

No doubt those with a flair for dramatic exits relish the fact that WhatsApp announces their departure. But just as some would rather slip out of a house party without saying goodbye to everyone, plenty of us would like the ability to exit irrelevant or outdated group chats without triggering the drama alarm.

Meta — the company formerly known as Facebook, and owner of WhatsApp — has got the message, and will be adding the feature soon, 

“New privacy features coming to WhatsApp: exit group chats without notifying everyone, control who can see when you're online, and prevent screenshots on view once messages,” CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post.

The other features mentioned are interesting too. Controlling who can see you’re online suggests you’ll be able to reply to messages without letting others know you’re actively using the app. 

And preventing screenshots of disappearing messages is so sensible that it’s surprising it wasn’t included from the get-go. Though for those sending risque or overly candid texts and pictures, remember that there’s nothing stopping unscrupulous receivers from taking a photo of the screen with another camera.

Nonetheless, these changes — along with the extended window for deleting messages announced yesterday — are all extremely welcome for those who both value their privacy (in as much as anybody with an internet-connected smartphone can) and want a quiet life, free from virtual drama.

“We'll keep building new ways to protect your messages and keep them as private and secure as face-to-face conversations,” Zuckerberg concluded.

It sounds like these will be opt-in features, rather than changing the way the app works for everybody. But we’ll have to wait and see how it’s integrated once the update starts to roll out. Even if it is the end of “Person Left” texts appearing in group chats, those who want a bit of drama can always drop an appropriately incendiary GIF on their way out…

We’ve all sent regrettable messages now and again, but fortunately a new WhatsApp update will help you avoid embarrassment, by letting you delete messages more than two days after you sent them. 

WhatsApp announced the change on Twitter, noting that this new deletion option is rolling out now and will give users a total of two days and 12 hours to delete messages they’ve sent. What's more, this won't just delete the message for the person doing the deleting, but also for the recipient. This is a big upgrade on the previous deletion time of one hours, eight minutes and 16 seconds previously enabled by the instant messaging service. 

Of course, this doesn't mean that recipients of an unwisely sent message won’t see it at all, just that it won't be recorded for posterity; well, unless the recipient takes a screenshot of it. But deleting a text that may have gone too far could show intent to take back what was said and extend an olive branch to a metaphorically wounded recipient.

There is an argument that this feature could be ripe for abuse, with the ability for people to delete unsavory messages and claim they'd never said it in the first place, leading to a form of virtual gas-lighting. So, we suggest you use this new deletion feature with a degree of social responsibility and common sense.

To use the new deletion feature, it’s simply a case of tapping and holding on a WhatsApp message then hitting the trashcan icon in the bottom left corner of the app in iOS, or the same icon in the menu served up in the top section on Android.

Next, select the “delete for everyone” option to purge the selected message. Do note, that if it’s outside of the deletion window you’ll only be able to delete it from your view, and not that of the recipient.

If you can’t delete a message going back two days just yet, then hold tight as the WhatsApp update may not have reached you; rest assured that it will soon.

Read next: WhatsApp will soon let you leave group chats on the sly.

Your WhatsApp chats are precious, so being able to move WhatsApp messages from Android to iOS with official support has us excited.

As explained in a new WhatsApp FAQ, the Android to iOS migration process is now available for regular users after being in beta for some time. It takes a bit of set-up and a fair bit of waiting, but thanks to Apple's Move to iOS app, it's not complicated.

Since earlier this year, you've been able to move your iOS WhatsApp messages to Android, but not the other way around. Now that you can move your data in the other direction, anyone wanting to swap to iPhone, as many users seem tempted to do, can do so knowing they won't lose their WhatsApp history in the process.

As one of the world's most popular and best messaging apps, WhatsApp was a big reason why users would stay using Android phones or iPhones even if they wanted to swap. After all, what's the point of using all the unique features of a new phone if you have to leave all your chat histories behind? As of now though, you've got greater freedom to pick which of the best phones are right for you, not just which ones are compatible with your current one.

If you're in a position to swap over right now, read on for instructions on how to move your WhatsApp chats from Android to iOS.

How to move WhatsApp messages from Android to iOS

• Set up a new/reset iPhone
• When asked, choose to Move Data from Android
• Open the Move to iOS app on your Android device and connect it to the iPhone
• Follow the steps to migrate WhatsApp and other app data
• Finish iPhone set-up, insert your SIM card and re-register for WhatsApp
• Allow WhatsApp to unpack your Android data

Read on to see detailed instructions for each step.

How to transfer WhatsApp messages from Android to iOS: Set-up

Before we get going, make sure your two devices are ready to undergo the transfer process. The Android phone needs to be running Android 5.0 or later, while the iPhone needs to run iOS 15.5 or later. Make sure you run software updates on both phones before proceeding, if you need to.

The next thing to remember is that this will only work with a fresh iPhone, so you'll need a box-fresh one or to reset your phone to send your data over (we've got the details on how to reset an iPhone here). You'll also need the same phone number to register with WhatsApp so you can access your chats at the end of the process.

If you've started using WhatsApp on your iPhone already, you'll have to reset your iPhone to get your old chat history back. Unfortunately, there's no way to merge histories, so you'll lose out on any messages you sent before resetting. You can't send over your call history or display name at all, but hopefully you can live without those.

During the transfer, the phones both need to be hooked up to the same Wi-Fi, or the Android phone needs to be connected to the iPhone's hotspot during set-up when prompted. WhatsApp also says both devices also need to be plugged in and charging, but I managed to complete this process without charging either device. Presumably, this is just a precaution to make sure neither device dies during the transfer.

How to move WhatsApp messages from Android to iOS:  full steps

Now that's all out of the way, here's how to actually move your chats from Android to iOS.

1. First off, download Move to iOS on the Android device. This is an Apple-made app designed to help you send data over to an iPhone or iPad, and it's through this app that you can send over your WhatsApp data.

2. While that's installing, perform the initial set-up on your iPhone, making sure you use the manual set-up option instead of Quick Start (that only works with other iPhones). 

3. When the iPhone asks where you want to transfer data from, select Move Data from Android, then tap Continue. You'll then be presented with a 6-digit code.

4. Open up Move to iOS on your Android device and, after hitting Continue a few times and allowing the permissions the app requests, enter the code when prompted. 

5. Tap Connect when the "Connect to device?" pop-up appears on your Android phone.

6. On the following Transfer Data screen, tap WhatsApp

7. On the next screen, tap Start to prepare your data for transfer. When it's finished, tap Next.

8. Back on the Transfer Data screen, choose whichever other data you want to transfer, and then hit Continue.

9. After a few minutes, your data will have moved over successfully. Tap Done on the Android phone to exit Move to iOS. Tap Continue on the iPhone to finish off the set-up process.

10. Once you've made it through iOS set-up and are on the home screen, download WhatsApp again.

11. While you wait for the download, swap over your SIM card to your iPhone if you haven't already.

12. Follow the steps in WhatsApp to set-up your phone number again. 

13. You'll then get a prompt to start moving chats from Android, so just tap Start and then give any needed permissions to proceed.

Soon enough, you'll have your WhatsApp chats on your iPhone, just as you left them!

14. While this isn't strictly part of the process, make sure when you're done that you set up an iCloud back-up on your iPhone so you have a copy of your WhatsApp data available should you need to swap iPhones or reset your device again.

Also, delete the WhatsApp data from your Android device when you're done, before you forget. You can do that either by deleting data for just the app, or by resetting the phone if you no longer need it.

Upgrading tech? It doesn't have to be a stressful experience with our guides on how to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone, how to transfer data from Android to Android and how to transfer data from iPad to iPad. If you'd like to learn more WhatsApp hacks, start by learning how to turn off read receipts in WhatsApp. Need to make a note or send files across your devices? Learn how to message yourself on WhatsApp. Want a virtual profile picture? Discover how to create a WhatsApp avatar.

If you have been wanting to change your WhatsApp privacy status, there's now some good news. 

A recent update from the Meta-owned messaging service allows users to update not only who can see their WhatsApp privacy status but who can see their profile photo, their last seen and more. This update allows users to fine-tune these settings to specific contacts, meaning users now have more control than ever over their privacy in WhatsApp.

Read on to see exactly how to change your WhatsApp privacy status, as well as some other settings you can tweak with this new update.

How to change your WhatsApp privacy status — and update some other WhatsApp privacy settings

• Open WhatsApp
• Tap the three dots menu in the upper-right corner of the app
• Tap Settings, then Account
• Tap Privacy, then Status
• Select My contacts except...
• Chose the contacts to exclude from seeing your WhatsApp privacy status
• Tap the checkmark to confirm

Read on to see detailed instructions for each step.

1. Open WhatsApp on your phone.

2. Tap the three dots menu in the upper-right corner of the app.

3. Tap Settings.

4. Tap Account.

5. Tap Privacy.

6. Once you are in the Privacy settings menu in WhatsApp, you will see many different settings that you can update. To update your WhatsApp privacy status tap Status.

7. In the WhatsApp privacy status menu you will see three options for who can view your WhatsApp privacy status. You can limit it to your contacts, only specific contacts, or all of your contacts except select people. To limit your WhatsApp Privacy Status to be viewed by all your contacts except select people, select My contacts except...

8. Select the contacts you want to prevent from seeing your WhatsApp privacy status. Once you are satisfied with your choices tap the check mark in the bottom right corner.

And that's it! You can also use these same instructions to update your privacy settings and fine-tune who can see your About, Profile photo, Last seen status and Groups. Those four privacy settings are all accessible from the Privacy Settings menu shown in step six.

Congratulations! You now know how to update your WhatsApp privacy status. Read more on What Is WhatsApp and How to Use It. If you fancy keeping a low profile, check out how to turn off read receipts on WhatsApp. For those who prefer a darker screen, here is how to get WhatsApp Dark Mode. And don't forget to read how To Update WhatsApp to Latest Version on Android and iPhone to make sure you're using the latest, most secure version of the app. If you'd like to read tutorials for other apps, we have you covered. Start with how to change your Instagram username.

Update: WhatsApp now lets you delete messages two days after sending them.

WhatsApp is getting the ability to mute individual users on group calls, so that person who might be accidentally far too noisy can be silenced without a fuss. 

We were alerted to such an update, among others, by Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp at Meta, who tweeted that: “You can now mute or message specific people on a call (great if someone forgets to mute themselves!), and we've added a helpful indicator so you can more easily see when more people join large calls.” 

The ability to mute someone in a group chat seems ripe for abuse, but at the same time it can help make a group call less chaotic. Most of us have at some point been on a video call disrupted by background noise from one attendee who doesn't realize they aren't muted until they're finally (and embarrassingly) identified. 

Equally, you may be in a room with another person who's on the same group video call, so being able to mute them on your end can help prevent any unwanted echoing. 

Being able to easily and clearly message individual callers in a WhatsApp group call also seems handy, especially if you want to quietly catch up a latecomer on what they've missed, or ensure that someone doesn't say something that could go down badly with other participants.

Meanwhile, a new indicator to make it clear when someone has joined a call will help make the whole process of messaging them, or indeed muting them if needed, an easier task on large groups calls.

This all builds upon WhatsApp’s ongoing work to make life easier for its users, with other recent additions including the ability to easily switch chats from Android to iPhone (finally) and to 'silently' leave group chats.

Read next: WhatsApp will soon let you leave group chats on the sly. 

Update: this feature is now live, and we're here to show you how to use it

While plenty of people have made the move from Android to iPhone, likely thanks to the excellent iPhone 13 Pro, the nagging worry of losing your WhatsApp history can often be the one thing keeping people from leaving an Android device to one of the best iPhones. But that's just changed.

That's because WhatsApp is rolling out the ability to move your WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone. So switching phones won't mean starting everything all over again in the Facebook-owned chat app or trying to find third-party workarounds.

The rollout starts today (June 14) at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT, and will be available to all WhatsApp users within about a week. However, WhatsApp migration is going to be folded into the Move to iOS app Apple offers in the Google Play store to help smooth the transition to its phones.

FYI: WhatsApp gets an upgrade to make group calls less painful.

Move to iOS already lets Android users transfer contacts, messages, photos, videos, email accounts and calendars to their new iOS-based handsets. The latest version of Move to iOS adds WhatsApp support, with the feature appearing right alongside the other data you can transfer.

In addition to the latest versions of WhatsApp and Move to iOS, you'll also need to be moving from an Android phone running Android 5 or later to an iOS device that's updated to iOS 15.5, the current version of Apple's iPhone software.

WhatsApp started adding the ability to move chat histories from iPhones to Android devices last year, and WhatsApp betas from earlier this year hinted that a vice versa feature was in the works. 

In a statement on his Facebook page, Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, "We're adding to WhatsApp the ability to securely switch between phones and transfer your chat history, photos, videos, and voice messages between Android and iPhone while maintaining end-to-end encryption. 

"This is a top requested feature. We launched the ability [to] switch from iPhone-->Android last year, and [are] now adding Android-->iPhone as well."

WhatsApp has created two FAQ pages for the feature, so you can find out how to migrate data from Android to iPhone and how to migrate chat history from Android to iPhone. 

The move comes a few months before the likely arrival of the iPhone 14, the new flagship phones from Apple set to debut later this year. With last week's iOS 16 preview hinting strongly at an always-on display feature arriving on the iPhone 14 Pro models, we could see Apple make a play to reach Android converts when its new phones arrive, reportedly in the fall. Support for WhatsApp migration feels like another piece of that puzzle.

Update: WhatsApp now lets you delete messages two days after sending them.

Twitter may not be paying heed to requests for an edit button, but WhatsApp finally is! Users have been requesting an edit button for messages on WhatsApp for a long time now and it looks like the feature could be around the corner. 

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is testing an edit button where sent messages can be edited. Users will be able fix typos or correct any errors in the message. To do this, you will have to hold down on a sent message and click on the three dot menu, then tap on “edit” and you will be able to correct the message and resend it. 

It is unclear if the message will be resent or will say “edited” on it. But WABetaInfo says that there will be no message history — which means the original message will not show up once edited.

There is no way to edit a message on WhatsApp so far and users relied on either correcting their messages using an asterisk or deleting a message altogether. On the other hand, WhatsApp’s rival messaging app Telegram has had an edit feature for years.

WhatsApp had planned for an edit button back in 2017 and was seen in the beta for Android version 2.17.26. But the edit feature never saw the light of day back then. We hope it doesn’t remain in beta this time and gets rolled out.

Recently, WhatsApp launched a “react to message” feature that has been widely rolled out. With this, users can hold down on a message to react to it directly with an emoji. With the testing of the edit function, WhatsApp seems to be focussing more on messaging features.

It’s worth noting that WABetaInfo mentions that “WhatsApp is working on bringing the same feature to WhatsApp beta for iOS and Desktop.” But we will know more details on this later.

There’s no date yet, but the edit button is still being developed and will come on the beta channel for testing soon. If you want to try it out before it is rolled out, you can sign up for the beta program.

WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging apps in the world with over 2 billion active users. Maybe after WhatsApp rolls out the edit button, Twitter will take a page out of WhatsApp and come out with its much awaited edit button on Twitter as well. One can hope!

Read next: WhatsApp will soon let you leave group chats on the sly.

Update: WhatsApp now lets you delete messages two days after sending them.

Currently, when you leave a WhatsApp group, a notification will be posted in the chat informing every member of your decision to vacate the group. In most instances, this isn’t a huge problem but if you want to quietly step out of a WhatsApp group without facing any awkward questions, it can be a little irritating having your exit practically announced by megaphone. 

That’s where this new WhatsApp feature comes in handy. As reported by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is currently testing out the ability to leave a group chat discreetly. This new feature lets users leave groups without a notification being posted for everybody to see. Instead, your departure will only be flagged to the group admins. 

Thanks to this WhatsApp feature, everybody else in the chat won’t know you’ve left unless you either tell them yourself, or they scroll through the participant list and notice your user name is no longer there. This is a minor feature overall, but it’s a useful one nevertheless. For many WhatsApp users, it’s not uncommon to find yourself unwilling to leave an irrelevant group chat for fear of facing uncomfortable questions about your departure. 

This feature was first hinted at last month, but it’s now apparently in beta testing. WABetaInfo has obtained a screenshot of the WhatsApp desktop app that shows a new exit prompt that reads: "Only you and group admins will be notified that you left the group." Presumably, this feature will also be made able on mobile devices when it exits testing and is ready to be rolled out to all users. 

Unfortunately, there are no confirmed rollout details for this new feature. As noted, it’s currently in beta testing, and there is technically no guarantee it will ever be made available to all users. However, this is definitely a feature that would be well received by most users, so we expect to see it included in a future update. 

As also reported by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is also testing rich link previews in status updates. So instead of seeing only a link in a status update, a rich link preview would show a preview of the website you're linking to.

Speaking of new WhatsApp features, the popular messaging app just got a major update earlier this month that includes a whole suite of long-awaited upgrades. And WhatsApp also cut off support for iOS 10 and iOS 11. Plus, there are also reports that WhatsApp may soon offer tablet and multi-device support, two features that are long overdue.  

Update: WhatsApp gets an upgrade to make group calls less painful. 

WhatsApp is rolling out some huge changes set to make the service that much better — and in some cases much closer to competing messenger apps. Among the changes are the ability to react to messages with emojis, send files up to 2GB in size and even bigger group chats.

Also, WhatsApp's much requested edit button is finally being tested. 

Previously group chats could include up to 256 people at any given time, which is already a pretty big number. The latest version lets up to 512 people take part, and you better hope they’re not all trying to talk at once; that would sound like a nightmarish conversation to try and keep up with.

The increased file-sharing size is more than welcome. The previous limit was just 100MB, which isn’t a great deal these days — especially if you want to share video. 2GB may not sound like much, but it does offer a great deal more flexibility when it comes to sending things via WhatsApp.

But given how slow the app can be when sharing larger files, especially if you’re off Wi-Fi, it might take a while to send a full 2GB file. So use this new limit sparingly, or on your home Wi-Fi network, if you can. The good news is WhatsApp will have a counter, showing you how long uploading and downloading files will take.

Emoji reactions aren’t the biggest deal in the world, by comparison. But they are a feature that exists on multiple other platforms, including on Facebook statuses. According to WhatsApp reactions are “fun, fast, and they reduce overload in groups too." 

In a one-on-one conversation, the difference between a reaction and sending an emoji message is minimal. But in a large group? WhatsApp is right, the last thing you need is up to 512 people sending emojis.

You can send a reaction by tapping and holding on the message in question. A little pop-up window will then give you six options: thumbs up, heart, cry laughing, shocked, crying, and hands-together/praying. More will come in the future, though there’s no specific timeline on when.

According to WhatsApp the features are “slowly” rolling out, having started last week. If you don’t have them yet, WhatsApp expects everyone to have them towards the end of this week. Looking to the future, the next big WhatsApp update is rumored to allow users to silently leave group chats. 

Of course, WhatsApp isn't the only service out there with features like this. The best WhatsApp alternatives are available, should you wish to avoid Facebook/Meta in all its forms. 

Knowing how to use WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop saves you reaching for your phone every time you want respond to the latest message from one of your group chats.

The wildly popular, Facebook-owned messaging app can be used via your web browser or by downloading a desktop app for your PC or Mac. All your messages are synced between the different platforms, so you can keep up with your conversations on whichever device is most convenient. It also means you can type with your proper keyboard rather than tapping your phone screen.

WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop work in almost exactly the same way, although voice and video calls are currently only supported on desktop, and you can only be logged into one at a time (plus your phone). This could be changing soon though, based on a new feature found in WhatsApp's beta version.

Here’s everything you need to know about using WhatsApp in your web browser and on your desktop. Be sure to check our WhatsApp updates page to learn about the latest features too.

How to use WhatsApp Web in your browser

1. Head to the WhatsApp Web website. As long as you’ve not logged in before you’ll be met with a screen that contains a QR code and some instructions.

2. Now open WhatsApp on your phone. On iOS, tap the Settings icon in the bottom-right corner of the WhatsApp app. On Android, press the three-dot icon in the top-right corner on the app.

3. On iOS, choose “WhatsApp Web/Desktop” and press “Link a Device." On Android, select "Linked devices," then tap "Link a Device."

4. This will activate your phone’s camera and allow you to scan the QR code that’s being displayed in your computer’s web browser.

If it’s a device you use regularly, and you're sure nobody else will have access to it, make sure you tick the “Keep Me Signed In” box so you don’t need to go through the same process every time.

5. You will now be able to use that browser window to access, send and receive messages, although you may need to turn on desktop notifications by clicking the banner that appears in the top-left corner.

6. To attach pictures or other files, click the paperclip button to the left of the chat box.

7. Click the microphone button to the right of the chat box when you want to record voice messages via a headset or your device’s built-in microphone.

9. If you want to update your status, click the broken circle icon. Click the speech bubble to bring up your contacts to start a new chat

The three dots icon lets you create a new group or room, edit your display name and picture, see your archived and starred messages and open the settings menu.

You can also log out completely, but this means you’ll need to go through all of these steps again next time.

How to use WhatsApp Desktop on your PC or Mac

1. If you’re prone to accidentally closing browser tabs, download one of WhatsApp’s desktop versions from the WhatsApp download page instead. 

It works on Windows 8 or newer (there are different versions depending on whether you’re using a 32- or 64-bit system), and macOS X 10.10 and higher.

2. Once WhatsApp is installed on your system, open the app and you’ll be greeted by the same sign-in screen that you’ll see in the web version: a QR code and a set of three instructions.

3. Grab your phone and open WhatsApp. On iOS, tap the Settings icon in the bottom-right corner of the WhatsApp app. On Android, press the three-dot icon in the top-right corner on the app.

4. On iOS, choose “WhatsApp Web/Desktop” and press “Link a Device." On Android, select "Linked devices," then tap "Link a Device."

Your phone’s camera will now become a QR code scanner. Point it at your screen and the desktop app will log you into your account.

Make sure the “Keep Me Signed In” box is ticked so you don’t have to log in every time.

5. The desktop app will now show all your existing chats, allowing you to write messages using your computer’s keyboard, create new groups, update your status, and all the other stuff listed above for the web version.

6. One extra function in WhatsApp Desktop that you don’t get in the web version is voice and video calling. This is only available for individual contacts, not whole groups, and you’ll need at least Windows 10 64-bit version 1903 or macOS 10.13 to use it.

Click either the camera or phone icon at the top of the chat window, depending on what type of call you want to make. If necessary, give WhatsApp access to your computer’s microphone and camera when prompted.

You’re now all set to engage in WhatsApp group chats using your mouse and QWERTY keyboard. If you forget to sign out of WhatsApp Web or Desktop on a device that’s not yours, you can log out remotely from your phone. 

Go to the “WhatsApp Web/Desktop” screen on iOS or the "Linked devices" screen on Android. Here you’ll see a list of any desktop devices and web browsers that are currently synced with your account. Simply tap each one that you want to remove.

Need more WhatsApp tips? Here's how to send disappearing photos and videos in WhatsApp to send media more securely. Alternatively, we can show you how to switch from WhatsApp to Signal if you want to swap to one of the best WhatsApp alternatives. WhatsApp will cut off support for iOS 10 and 11 — check out which iPhones are affected. Need to make a note or send files across your devices? Learn how to message yourself on WhatsApp.

WhatsApp Messenger is the most popular messaging app in the world, with more than 2 billion people using it to stay in touch with friends, family and various social connections.

The Covid pandemic only increased that popularity, with usage soaring by up to 40 percent as people across the planet were restricted to their homes for large periods of time.

Pandemic or not, it's easy to understand WhatsApp's popularity. The service, owned by Facebook since 2014, is one of the best encrypted messaging apps, offering secured text messaging, promising a layer of privacy for all your communications. 

WhatsApp updates over the years have tacked on other features, including Wi-Fi calling and multimedia support. WhatsApp particularly excels at managing group chats, letting you communicate with select contacts all at once. And all of that is completely free — WhatsApp doesn't charge to use the messaging service, placing it among the best FaceTime alternatives for Android phones.

Want to get in on messaging with WhatsApp? You'll have to download the app to your smartphone first. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to download WhatsApp Messenger for free. Here's where you can find the app.

Where to download WhatsApp Messenger

WhatsApp is primarily a way to stay connected on your mobile phone, so naturally, both Google and Apple feature WhatsApp in their respective app stores. But you're not limited to an Android phone or iPhone to use WhatsApp — the company also makes a version for Mac and Windows PCs. (You'll need to have WhatsApp on your phone to also use the desktop version, though.)

• WhatsApp for Android: Google Play
• WhatsApp for iOS and iPhone: iOS App Store
• WhatsApp for Mac and Windows: WhatsApp.com

There's no dedicated version of WhatsApp for the iPad. Instead, you'll need to access WhatsApp through a browser on Apple's tablet, and even then, you'll still need to link your iPad to an iPhone to use the app.

What you can do with WhatsApp

Once you've got WhatsApp installed, getting setup is a fairly straightforward process. Consult our guide on how to use WhatsApp, which includes tips on getting started and overviews of all the features such as messaging, group chats, voice calls and more. It's also worth learning how to use WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop so you can make use of the service on more devices.

WhatsApp is always getting new features via updates, so it's important to keep your version of WhatsApp updated. Recent additions have included a dark mode, and WhatsApp also is planning to add a true multi-device mode, as evidenced by a new in-progress feature discovered in the beta version of the app. Other new features included animated stickers, as WhatsApp faces stepped-up competition from rival apps such as iOS's built-in Messages app.

WhatsApp may feature encrypted messaging, but its affiliation with Facebook means you'll still need to be vigilant about privacy given the latter's spotty record when it comes to safeguarding its users' personal data. For instance, WhatsApp may be at fault for your phone number showing up in Google search results, though there are ways to get your number removed. 

Update: WhatsApp's latest big update is adding emoji reactions, better file-sharing and larger group chats. Here's what you need to know. 

WhatsApp could be on the cusp of official tablet and multi-device support, based on a new finding in the beta version of the app.

Over at WABetaInfo, the team has spotted a feature described as both "Link New Mobile Device" and "Register Device as Companion" that allows you to set up a code on a mobile device to scan with your registered WhatsApp phone and link the two together. 

FYI: WhatsApp gets an upgrade to make group calls less painful.

While you can currently link other devices to your WhatsApp account via the WhatsApp browser or desktop apps, you can't set up secondary devices running the WhatsApp iOS or Android app itself, which this new feature suggests you'll soon be able to do. The only problem is no code appears, so there's no chance of trying to get this feature to work yet even if you do download the beta.

It's also worth noting that WABetaInfo found this on the Android version of the app, so it's not certain if or when we'll see this on iPhones. Of course, there's also the chance that with this being a beta, there’s no guarantee if or when we’ll see it go live at all

You can currently pair your WhatsApp account with a single linked device via WhatsApp Web/WhatsApp Desktop, or four linked devices if you’ve signed up to the multi-device beta. These links maintain WhatsApp's signature end-to-end encryption, plus if you want to, you can chat freely on your linked devices without accessing your main phone for up to two weeks.

However, this linked device mode lacks some features, like viewing live locations. More importantly there's still no tablet version of the app, something users have been asking for for years. Hopefully the finding of this feature points to WhatsApp delivering us tablet-optimized apps soon, so we don't have to rely on sketchy third-party apps or awkward browser shortcut workarounds. 

In the meantime, there are plenty of WhatsApp alternatives out there, including some with functional tablet apps. Good luck convincing your friends and families to switch though.

Update: WhatsApp's latest big update is adding emoji reactions, better file-sharing and larger group chats. Here's what you need to know

The WhatsApp ‘Last Seen’ tag is certainly a handy feature, telling you when a contact was last active on the app. 

If you see that someone was last seen at 4 am, say, then if you’re looking to message them at 7:30, you can reason that you likely won’t hear back for a while. It can also help you figure out if it’s a socially acceptable time to message someone if they’re in a different country without figuring out the actual time zone difference.

If they have Read Receipts turned off, it’s also a handy way of figuring out if your important message has been seen and ignored, or they just haven’t read it yet.

But if you’d rather share your WhatsApp usage patterns with the world, there’s currently not too much flexibility. You can currently limit your ‘Last Seen’ status to nobody, everybody or just your contacts.

That is changing in the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS — version 22.9.0.70, which is currently accessible via TestFlight and will presumably roll out to all users at a later date. First spotted by WABetaInfo, the build adds a new “My Contacts Except…” option in the ‘Last Seen’ section of the app. You can then pick and choose which contacts don’t get to see when you were last online. 

Although this is now available to certain iPhone beta testers, this isn’t an iOS exclusive. The site notes that the change was introduced to Android beta 2.22.8.9 some weeks ago, and this update is just bringing parity to iOS.

Curiously, the update also allows you to hide your profile photo and information from contacts, too. This, to me, seems less useful given your contacts presumably know who you are and what you look like, but there we are. This would be far more useful for Read Receipts, but that remains a binary choice across the board: it’s either on or off for everyone. 

Still, more privacy options are undoubtedly a good thing, and it’s nice to see that Meta is continuing to work on updates like this alongside its bigger vision to make WhatsApp more community focused. Last week, WhatsApp unveiled 5 big upgrades coming to group chats, including emoji responses and an increase in the maximum transfer size.

It’s not often that WhatsApp, the popular Meta-owned chat app, shows its hand before rolling out an update, but the company has broken its usual habits by unveiling five upcoming changes ahead of time.

For WhatsApp, the star feature is Communities. This is essentially a way of having connected chats within a larger umbrella group — think clubs, housing associations or non-profit organizations. For example, you could have one large group for your child’s school, but then a number of smaller groups within where you communicate with different classes, each with a different selection of parents and teachers. 

Also see: WhatsApp is getting this handy new privacy feature. 

It’s an organizational change, mainly, but the feature will also include “powerful new tools for admins," including the ability to make announcements across groups and the ultimate decision over which groups are permitted within the overall structure.

To augment Communities, WhatsApp is also making group chats better in other ways — regardless of whether they’re isolated chats or part of the new system. 

Two of these are increases to current caps. At the time of writing, voice calls are limited to eight participants, but this will soon be increased to 32 — which sounds a touch unmanageable, but it's nice to have the option. 

The second increase is maximum file size, which will soar from a measly 100MB to a generous 2GB so that people can “easily collaborate on projects." Notably, however, this appears to be for documents and not media such as video, audio and images. If accurate, this would limit the utility of the boost.

Next up is the ability for admins to delete “errant or problematic” messages from everyone’s chats. Currently, you can only delete your own messages, and this gives a little more power to those actually in charge of groups and is a first step at offering moderation tools on the platform. The admin is usually the person who formed the group in the first place, though that can be managed through the settings.

Finally, emoji reactions will be coming, which could be a game changer. All of us have, at some point, been forced to mute a noisy group chat due to overexcitable responses. Emoji reactions — as already seen on the likes of Slack, Facebook and Teams — can demonstrate you’ve absorbed the contents of a message without needing to ping everyone in the group with a noisy “thanks”, “this is great” or “lol”.

At the time of writing, WhatsApp hasn’t given us a timeline, only noting that it’s “early days for Communities” and that “building the new features to support them will be a major focus of ours for the year to come.” That suggests it will be a 2022 rollout, but whether we’re looking at weeks or months is anybody’s guess.