WhatsApp’s 5 safe practices every user should know and follow

Almost everyone who has a smartphone these days is using WhatsApp. Whether it is an office group or personal chat, messaging apps are the preferred mode to exchange data. The app, which is supported by both Android and iOS, boasts of over 1.3 billion users worldwide.

Security is a top concern for users and the Facebook-owned brand has introduced many features to assuage the privacy concerns of its users.

But with social media, you just can't be careful enough. Cases of data breach and fraud are reported quite often. We share a few tips today to up the privacy of your WhatsApp.

1. Restrict access to display picture

If by default your WhatsApp display picture is visible to everyone, then anyone can download it. This may not be the safest thing to do given the increasing number of spam messages.

In order to ensure that unknown people do not get access to your display image, change the privacy settings to 'contacts only'

• Open WhatsApp

• Go to Settings

• Hit the account tab

• Tap on Privacy

• Choose the profile photo option

• Out of the three options - Everyone, My Contacts and Nobody— choose 'My Contacts'

2. Enable Two-Step Verification

One of the biggest drawbacks of WhatsApp is the fact that it does not have password protection. With two factor authentication, a periodic passcode can be enabled making it safer. These periodic checks are random and do not appear at regular intervals.

For activating two factor authentication, follow these steps:

• Go to Settings

• Tap on account

• Hit the two-step verification tab

• Enable the option

• Create and enter a six digit passcode

• Confirm the PIN

• Enter your email ID

• Confirm your email ID and the feature will be enabled.

3. Disable last seen

To stop people from knowing when you are online and for how long, you can dictate who all can view your 'last seen'. Enabling this feature that you will not be able to see the other person's last seen as well.

• Go to Settings

• Tap on Privacy

• Hit the last seen tab

• You can choose from three options: everyone my contacts, nobody

ALSO READ: Running short on storage space? Here's how you delete media files in WhatsApp

4. Set Notifications to Private

While notification previews are a boon for those who prefer replying to WhatsApp messages on the go. This feature, however, can be a nightmare for those who want to keep their conversations private. If notifications are not private then the message pops up on lock screen and anybody can see it.

How to change the notifications settings on iOS device

• Tap on Settings

• Go to notification

• Disable Show Preview

On Android

• Go to settings

• Tap on notifications

• Disable pop up notifications for both private messages and group conversations.

5. Beware of scams

WhatsApp does not ever contact the user through the app and never sends out emails about chats, voice messages, photos, or videos. The help and support team will only reply after a user approaches them.