Tech for Beginners Part 35: WhatsApp Basics: Chats, Groups, Calls and Status

For millions of Indians, WhatsApp is the phone. Family groups share good-morning messages and wedding photos, shopkeepers send bills, teachers share homework, and grandparents video call grandchildren in another city. If you are new to smartphones, learning WhatsApp properly is one of the most useful things you can do. This is Part 35 of our Tech for Beginners series. Today we will set up WhatsApp, send messages, photos, documents and voice notes, use groups, make voice and video calls, post a Status, use WhatsApp on a computer, and stop forwards from filling your phone.

WhatsApp finds people from your phone's contacts, so it helps to have them organised as shown in Part 7 on calls, SMS and contacts. Calls and media use mobile data, so the tips in Part 10 on saving data are useful. And before you rely on WhatsApp for important chats, turn on chat backup as explained in Part 34.

A note on changes: WhatsApp updates its app often, and button names and menu positions can differ between Android and iPhone and between versions. Use these steps as a guide and follow what you see on your screen. Limits mentioned here were correct when we checked WhatsApp's own pages and may change.

Step 1: Install and set up WhatsApp

1. Install WhatsApp Messenger from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Check the developer is WhatsApp LLC. Avoid "modified" versions such as "GB WhatsApp", which are not official and can put your account at risk.
2. Open the app, choose your language and agree to the terms.
3. Enter your mobile number with the country code (+91 for India).
4. WhatsApp sends a 6-digit code by SMS or call. Enter it in the app. Never share this code with anyone, even if they claim to be from WhatsApp or a friend who "sent it by mistake".
5. If you have a backup, tap Restore.
6. Add your name and, if you wish, a profile photo.
7. Allow access to contacts, so WhatsApp can show which of your contacts use it.

Step 2: Send your first message

1. Tap the new chat button (a speech bubble or plus icon).
2. Choose a contact from the list.
3. Type your message in the box at the bottom and tap the send arrow.

What the ticks mean

• One grey tick: message sent.
• Two grey ticks: delivered to the other person's phone.
• Two blue ticks: read (if the other person has read receipts on).

Made a mistake? Press and hold your message to edit it (for a short time after sending) or delete it. "Delete for everyone" removes it from the chat for others too, if done soon after sending.

Step 3: Send photos, documents and voice notes

Photos and videos

1. In a chat, tap the paperclip or plus icon, then Gallery or Photos.
2. Select one or more photos. You can add a caption.
3. Tap send. To send a photo in full quality, look for the HD option before sending.

The camera icon in the chat lets you take a photo and send it immediately.

Documents

Tap the paperclip, then Document, and choose a PDF or other file. This is handy for sending bills, admission forms or resumes. Sending a photo "as a document" keeps its full quality.

Voice notes

1. Press and hold the microphone icon and speak.
2. Release to send. Slide up to lock the recording for long messages, so you do not have to keep holding.
3. Slide left to cancel if you make a mistake.

Voice notes are perfect for elders who find typing difficult. You can also type in Hindi, Tamil or any Indian language using your phone's keyboard, or use the microphone on the keyboard to speak and convert speech into text.

Location and contacts

The paperclip menu also lets you share your location (handy when a delivery person or relative cannot find your house) or a contact card. Share live location only with people you trust, and stop sharing when it is no longer needed.

Step 4: Use groups

Groups let many people chat together: family, building society, school parents, office team. According to WhatsApp, a group can have up to 1,024 members.

Create a group

1. Tap the new chat button, then New group.
2. Select the members and tap the arrow.
3. Type a group name, add a photo if you like, and tap Create.

Group tips

• Mute busy groups: open the group, tap its name and choose Mute notifications. You still get messages but your phone will not buzz constantly.
• Reply to a specific message by swiping right on it, so everyone knows what you are answering.
• Mention someone by typing @ and their name.
• Leave a group you do not want: tap the group name, scroll down and tap Exit group.
• Admins can choose who can send messages and who can change group details.

We will look at controlling who can add you to groups in the next part.

Step 5: Make voice and video calls

1. Open a chat with the person.
2. Tap the phone icon for a voice call or the camera icon for a video call.
3. During a video call, you can switch between front and back cameras, mute your microphone, or turn off your camera.

For a group call, open a group and tap the call icon, or start a call and add people. WhatsApp says group calls can include up to 32 people. Calls are free apart from the data they use; on Wi-Fi they cost nothing extra. Video calls use far more data than voice calls, so use Wi-Fi when you can.

Step 6: Post and view Status

Status is like a short-lived notice board: you share a photo, video or text, and it disappears after 24 hours.

1. Open the Updates tab (called Status on older versions).
2. Tap the camera or pencil icon to add a photo, video or text.
3. Before posting, check Status privacy: you can share with all contacts, all contacts except some, or only selected people.

Do not post travel tickets, boarding passes or the fact that your house is empty during a holiday, even on Status.

Step 7: Use WhatsApp on a computer

Typing long messages or sending office documents is easier on a computer. WhatsApp lets you link up to four other devices to your phone.

1. On the computer, open web.whatsapp.com in a browser, or install the WhatsApp desktop app.
2. On your phone, open WhatsApp, tap the three dots (Android) or Settings (iPhone), then Linked devices > Link a device.
3. Unlock your phone if asked and point it at the QR code on the computer screen.

On shared or office computers, always log out when you finish. Check Linked devices on your phone from time to time, and log out any device you do not recognise.

Handy chat tricks

• Pin your most important chats to the top: press and hold a chat and tap the pin icon.
• Star a message you want to find later, such as an address or account number: press and hold it and tap the star.
• Archive old chats to tidy your list without deleting them.
• Use the search bar at the top to find any old message by a word.

Step 8: Stop forwards from filling your phone

Good-morning images, videos and forwards in big groups quietly eat gigabytes of storage.

1. Go to Settings > Chats and look for Media visibility; turn it off so WhatsApp images do not fill your gallery.
2. Go to Settings > Storage and data > Media auto-download and choose No media for mobile data. Then photos and videos download only when you tap them.
3. Go to Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage. Here you can see which chats use the most space, review large files and forwarded many times items, and delete them in bulk.

Messages marked "Forwarded many times" have passed through many chats. Treat them with caution: they are often old, edited or false. We will cover fact-checking forwards in Part 38.

Frequently asked questions

Is WhatsApp free?

Yes, the app is free to download and use. Messages and calls use your internet data, which is part of your mobile or Wi-Fi plan.

Can I use one WhatsApp account on two phones?

Your main phone registers the account, and you can link other devices through Linked devices. WhatsApp also supports linking a second phone as a companion device; check WhatsApp's help pages for current steps.

Someone sent me a WhatsApp code by mistake and is asking for it. What should I do?

Do not share it. This is a common trick to take over your account. We explain how to protect yourself in the next part.

Can people see when I am online?

By default, your contacts may see your "last seen" and "online" status. You can change this in privacy settings, which we cover next.

What is next

Try this today: mute one noisy group, turn off media auto-download on mobile data, and send a voice note to a family member. In the next part of Tech for Beginners, we will change the WhatsApp privacy and security settings that keep your account safe.