Tech for Beginners Part 36: WhatsApp Privacy and Security Settings You Should Change Today

Your WhatsApp holds your family conversations, photos, documents and sometimes even bank details someone sent you. Yet many people never open its privacy and security settings. Scammers know this. They take over accounts to ask your friends for money, add you to fake "investment" groups, and call you from unknown international numbers. The good news is that a few settings, which take about fifteen minutes to change, make you much safer. This is Part 36 of our Tech for Beginners series. Today we will turn on two-step verification, control who sees your photo and last seen, decide who can add you to groups, silence unknown callers, and learn the common tricks used to steal WhatsApp accounts.

Two-step verification works like the extra security layer we explained in Part 21 on two-factor authentication and OTPs. Many WhatsApp tricks are versions of the scams in Part 25, and fake video calls from "police" are covered in Part 26 on digital arrest scams.

A note on changes: WhatsApp moves its settings around from time to time, and names can differ between Android and iPhone. If you cannot find an option, use the search icon in WhatsApp Settings and type its name.

The quick way: Privacy Checkup

WhatsApp has a guided tool that walks you through the main settings.

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Privacy.
2. Tap Privacy checkup.
3. Go through each section: who can contact you, your personal info, privacy for your chats, and protection for your account.

The steps below explain each important setting, so you know what you are choosing.

1. Turn on two-step verification

This is the single most important setting. Even if someone tricks you into sharing your 6-digit SMS code, they also need a PIN that only you know.

1. Go to Settings > Account > Two-step verification.
2. Tap Turn on (or Enable).
3. Enter a 6-digit PIN you will remember. Avoid 123456, 000000 or your birth year.
4. Enter the PIN again to confirm.
5. Add an email address. If you forget the PIN, WhatsApp can send a reset link there.

WhatsApp will ask for this PIN now and then, to help you remember it. Write it down somewhere safe at home or in your password manager. Never share it with anyone.

Passkey and email for your account

In Settings > Account you may also see options to add a passkey (so you can verify with your fingerprint, face or screen lock) and an email address to help you get back into your account. Add these if you see them.

2. Control who sees your personal information

Go to Settings > Privacy. For each item, you can usually choose Everyone, My contacts, My contacts except… or Nobody.

• Last seen and online: who can see when you last used WhatsApp and when you are online. My contacts or Nobody is a good choice.
• Profile photo: set to My contacts. Scammers copy profile photos to create fake accounts that pretend to be you.
• About: the short line under your name. Set to My contacts, and do not put your job, office or address there.
• Status: choose who sees your Status updates.
• Read receipts: turning this off hides your blue ticks from others (and you will not see theirs). Group chats still show read receipts.

3. Decide who can add you to groups

Scammers add people to fake "stock tips", "work from home" or "crypto" groups. Stop this:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy > Groups.
2. Choose My contacts, or My contacts except….

Now people who are not in your contacts must send you an invite, which you can ignore. If you have already been added to a suspicious group, exit the group and use Report in the group info.

4. Silence unknown callers

Many scam calls come from unknown numbers, including international ones. WhatsApp can stop them from ringing.

1. Go to Settings > Privacy > Calls.
2. Turn on Silence unknown callers.

Calls from numbers not in your contacts will not ring, but they still appear in your Calls list, so you can check later if it was someone genuine. In the same area, you may also find an option to protect your IP address in calls, which adds a little more privacy.

5. Lock the app and protect chats

• App lock: in Settings > Privacy, look for App lock (Android) or Screen lock (iPhone). Turn on fingerprint or Face ID so someone holding your unlocked phone cannot read your chats.
• Chat lock: press and hold a private chat and choose Lock chat to hide it in a locked folder.
• Disappearing messages: you can set messages in a chat to disappear after 24 hours, 7 days or 90 days. Useful for sensitive chats, but remember people can still take screenshots.

6. Block and report

If someone sends spam, threats or scam messages:

1. Open the chat and tap the contact's name or number.
2. Scroll down and tap Block and Report.

When you get a message from an unknown number, WhatsApp often shows Block and Report buttons at the top of the chat. Use them rather than replying.

Common WhatsApp account takeover tricks

"I sent my code to you by mistake"

You get a 6-digit WhatsApp code by SMS, followed by a message from a "friend" (often a hacked account) asking you to forward it. That code is for your account. Sharing it lets the scammer log in as you. Never share it.

Fake WhatsApp support

Messages claiming to be from "WhatsApp Support" that ask for codes, PINs or payments to "verify" or "unblock" your account are fake. WhatsApp will not ask you for your code or PIN.

Dialling strange codes

Some scammers call pretending to be from your mobile company or a courier and ask you to dial a code starting with * or # followed by a number. Such codes can forward your calls to the scammer, who can then receive your WhatsApp verification call. Never dial codes at a stranger's request.

Friend asking for urgent money

A message from a friend's account asks for urgent money by UPI "because of an emergency". The account may be hacked. Call your friend on their normal number before sending anything.

Malicious links and files

Wedding invitations or "bank" files sent as APK files can install malware. Do not open APK files received on WhatsApp.

If your account is taken over

1. Open WhatsApp on your phone and register again with your number. Enter the 6-digit SMS code you receive. This logs out the person using your account.
2. If they had turned on two-step verification, you may need to wait before you can register again. Keep trying, and use WhatsApp's help pages to contact support.
3. Tell your family and friends, through another channel, to ignore any requests sent from your account.
4. If you lost money or someone demanded money, report it on 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.

Your 15-minute WhatsApp safety checklist

1. Two-step verification: on, with an email address added.
2. Profile photo and About: My contacts.
3. Last seen and online: My contacts or Nobody.
4. Groups: My contacts.
5. Silence unknown callers: on.
6. App lock: on.
7. Linked devices: check the list and log out anything you do not recognise.
8. Chat backup: on, as explained in Part 34, with the encrypted backup password written down safely.
9. App updated to the latest version from the Play Store or App Store.

Setting this up for parents and grandparents

Older family members are often the main targets of WhatsApp scams. Sit with them and go through the checklist on their phone, explaining each step simply. Then agree on a few family rules:

• "We never share any code that comes by SMS, with anyone."
• "If anyone in the family asks for money on WhatsApp, we call them first."
• "We do not open files or links from unknown numbers."
• "If something feels urgent or frightening, we pause and call a family member."

Write these rules on a card and keep it near their phone charger.

Frequently asked questions

If I forget my two-step verification PIN, will I lose my account?

No, if you added an email address, you can reset the PIN with the link WhatsApp sends. Without an email, you may need to wait some days before you can verify again.

Will my contacts know I changed my privacy settings?

No. WhatsApp does not notify anyone. They will simply see less information.

Is WhatsApp end-to-end encrypted?

WhatsApp says personal messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted, meaning only you and the person you are talking to can read or listen to them. This does not protect you if you share codes or install a malicious app.

What is next

Try this today: turn on two-step verification with an email address, set Groups to My contacts and switch on Silence unknown callers. Then help one elder in your family do the same. In the next part of Tech for Beginners, we will look at privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.