Home//WhatsApp The Complete Manual/Issue 4/In This Issue
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4WhatsApp USER MANUALWhatsApp is huge. Since its release in February 2009, it’s grown to become the world’s most popular messaging application. It has over two billion users worldwide, in over 180 countries. It’s also free. You can use it to send text, audio and video messages, make calls and even create groups. The data is sent over your regular Internet connection, so there are no call charges. What’s more, it’s available on iPhone, Android, Windows and macOS, so whatever platform your friends and family use, there’s bound to be a WhatsApp for them. So what are you waiting for? Let’s delve into the world of WhatsApp, and take a look at what this amazing application can offer. Master your tech @ www.pclpublications.com…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Installing WhatsApp on a PC1 To begin with you need to visit the WhatsApp website, specifically the Download section: www.whatsapp.com/download. Here you can see the screen split into two sections: the left side for mobile devices and the right for desktop systems. Click the Green Download for Windows (64-bit) button to continue. 2 After clicking the button you’ll be asked to Save the file to your desktop, do so and wait for it to download. You can find the program executable in the Downloads folder of your home area on the PC. Just double-click the WhatsApp Setup program to start the installation. 3 The install is a little different to most other apps you may have downloaded in the past. After a short while WhatsApp asks you to scan a QR code with your…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4WhatsApp on iOS1 Three-Dots Icon – Tap the three-dots icon here and from the sub-menu that appears, tap Select Chats. An empty circle appears by each conversation. Tap to tick the ones you want to action, then tap Archive or Read at the bottom of the screen. 2 Camera – The Camera feature, as we’ve mentioned, enters the app’s camera mode. You can take a picture or video with either the front or rear facing camera and instantly post it in a message; or choose a previously taken shot from the camera roll. 3 Plus Icon – The Plus icon in the top right of the WhatsApp screen starts a New Chat, form a New Group, add a New Contact or start a New Broadcast. 4 Archived – Click this to access…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4How to Add Friends and Contacts1 To begin with, tap the speech bubbles icon at the foot of the screen to open your Chats. You see the conversations you’ve already started, with the most recent at the top. 2 Tap the Plus icon (top right). If the person you want to add is in your Contacts app, scroll down until you see them and tap their name. You can then start a new chat with them. 3 Alternatively, tap New Contact near the top of the screen and then add their details manually. Type them in, and use the Add Field link to add further information. 4 If the phone number you add to your contact is not registered with WhatsApp, they probably don’t use the app. Tap the Invite to WhatsApp link to ask…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4How to Make Voice and Video Calls1 You can make a voice or video call in several ways. In the Calls tab, tap a name in the list to call that person again, using the method (audio or video) you used last time. Or tap the ‘i’ icon next to a name, and choose Audio or Video call in the info window. In a chat window, tap the receiver or video icon next to the person’s name. 2 Depending on which method you use, you can start the call to the selected contact. There are numerous options available while you’re waiting for the call to connect (the contact needs to confirm the call). You can opt for speaker, increase or decrease the volume, hang up before the connection or switch to a chat session instead. 3…2 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Privacy1 To get to the Privacy page: open the WhatsApp Settings, according to your device. The Privacy section is listed on this main settings page, under Accounts. It’s the option illustrated with a padlock. Tap this link to get to the WhatsApp Privacy page. 2 The Privacy page is all about your personal information. There are two main sections to it: who can see my personal info and Messaging. Tap on the first option: Last Seen. Last Seen refers to the last time you used WhatsApp, tap it and specify whether: Everyone, Contacts only, or no one, can see when you were last using WhatsApp. 3 Next is the Profile Photo visibility and the About statement – both as defined in the Profile section in Settings. You can opt for…2 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Change Number1 There are two ways in which you can transfer your WhatsApp account details to another number and phone. The first by changing the number in the Profile section, which we looked at previously. The second is to tap the Change Number option in the Account menu. 2 When you tap the option, you’ll be given a brief round-up of what’s going to happen. Tapping Next will start the process, asking you for your new number where a confirmation SMS will be sent and the migration will begin. AN IPHONE, OR ANDROID PHONE? Which is best for WhatsApp? iPhone, Android? There’s a raging debate throughout many forums as to which platform works best with WhatsApp. Some would opt for iPhone immediately, while others maintain Android as being the best. In…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Notifications1 Notifications is located under the Chats option in Settings, on Android. iPhone users can find it in Settings, under Chat Settings and Windows Phone users can find the option as Notification Tones in Settings under Lock Screen. 2 There’s quite a lot in here that you can alter. Message and Group Notifications allow you to alter the default WhatsApp tone for any received messages, switch them off altogether and more. You can change how your in-app notifications arrive too. 3 Group Notifications work the same way as the Message Notifications, allowing you to choose a tone, vibration, pop-up or whether the device’s light will indicate a group-wide message. Tapping the Sound link brings up a collection of ringtones; scroll through until you find one you like and tap OK.…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Update Your Status1 In the WhatsApp app, tap the Updates icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Look for the My Status option at the top of the next page. Tap the Plus icon to the right of the Status heading, and a small popup menu appears. 2 From the menu, choose Text and you can type a new status. Tap the letter ’T’ icon repeatedly to toggle through available fonts. Tap the paint palette icon to toggle through colours. Tap Status (Contacts) and choose to send it to people. 3 Enter your text, change the background colour and add an Emoji of your choice. When you’re done, tap the send icon (the large icon with the right-pointing arrow) to update your Status. Remember it’s only live for 24 hours.…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4WhatsApp Wallpaper1 There are countless WhatsApp wallpaper apps available for Android but of the many that clutter the Play Store, Wallpapers for Chat is a good starting place. Open up the Play Store and search for the app, then tap the Install button and Open the app. 2 With the Wallpapers for Chat app open, tap which category you want to view (along the top of the screen). Select the wallpaper and tap the image to download it. Open WhatsApp and enter a Chat session, tap the three Vertical dots and choose Wallpaper from the menu. Tap Gallery and the downloaded wallpaper appears. Tap Set when done. ALTERNATIVE WALLPAPER If you prefer not to download a third-party wallpaper app, go to the main WhatsApp screen, tap the three vertical dots and…1 min
See Also
Rescue Workers Still Trying To Find Hurricane Survivors In Mexico Beach, Fla.Amanda Steege and Lafitte de Muze Lead 2024 Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship After Classic Round :: USHJABrian Mittge: Thriving fair emphasizes the best of Lewis County life - The Daily Chronicle24 recent NFL first-round picks running out of chances heading into 2024 seasonWhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Pin Chats1 It’s easy to pin a chat to the top of your chat window. First of all, find the chat you want to pin and swipe it to the right, revealing two new icons; Unread, which marks the chat as unread, and Pin. Tap the Pin icon. 2 The chat in question is moved to the top of the chats list. On the right-hand side of this chat, you see a pin icon. This shows it is pinned, and will always appear at the top of the list and is not displaced by incoming messages on other chats. REMOVING THE PINS Removing a pinned chat is simply a reversal of the pinning a chat process. Swipe the pinned chat to the right again, and you once more see two icons.…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Archive Chats1 Again, there’s two ways of doing this. Either tap and hold the chat you wish to archive until a menu pops up, or swipe the chat left to reveal two icons, one of which is Archive. 2 Tap the Archive link in the menu or the Archive icon revealed by swiping the chat left. The chat then disappears from your chat list, and is no longer visible on that page. UN-ARCHIVE CHATS If you want to bring your archived chats back into the main Chat screen, tap on the ‘Archived chats’ link at the top of the chat list. From within the archived section, select the chat you want to restore, and long tap for the menu or swipe left for the icons. Tap the Unarchive option or icon…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Report Spam1 Reporting a contact as Spam automatically blocks them as well. To report spam, open the chat and tap the person’s name or number at the top of the screen. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap Report. The WhatsApp team review the report and take any necessary actions, such as banning the number. 2 It’s a similar process on a WhatsApp desktop app. Click on the chat in question, and in the right-hand window, click on the person’s name or number at the top. A menu appears, offering the same options as on the mobile apps. At the foot of this menu is the option to report the person in question. SPAM AND HOAXES The Internet is full of spam and hoaxes and WhatsApp is no exception.…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Formatting Text1 Enter a chat and either select text you’ve already written or with new text, enter: _Text_. This displays the text as Italics. 2 For Bold text, put an asterisk on either side of the text. Again, you can select sections of text you’ve already written or enter new text. For example: *Text* and tap the Send button. 3 Strikethrough and Monospace Font text styles can be achieved by placing a tilde on both sides of the text: ~Strikethrough text~ and for Monospace Font, use three backticks either side: ```Monospace Font text```. ALTERNATIVE FORMATTING Alternatively, instead of adding extras before and after the text, simply highlight the text in the text field, tap the Format option that appears and choose Bold, Italic, Strikethrough or Monospace.…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4WhatsApp Channels1 Open WhatsApp and tap Updates at the foot of the screen. You see a Channels option. Suggestions are offered; tap Follow under a channel to which you want to subscribe, and tap Explore More for a more comprehensive list of channels. Tap a channel’s Plus symbol to subscribe to it. 2 Tap a channel (not its subscribe button) to see their recent posts. If there’s a subject that interests you, type it into the Search field and see if there’s a channel for it. If there is, subscribe. Then, whenever there’s an update from the organisation in question, you receive it in WhatsApp.…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4WhatsApp IssuesBeing the world’s most popular chat app can’t be easy. The developers issue an update and succeed in making one half of the WhatsApp population happy, while the other half take to other social media platforms to vehemently voice their disgust. You manage to swat one identified scam, and another two come along to take its place. You increase safety and privacy, and it annoys the users with the additional layers of security. It would seem that as a WhatsApp developer you’re facing a never-ending battle of compromises. As a parent or guardian, though, WhatsApp has introduced a new entry point into your child’s web of protection that you have so carefully weaved since the day they were born. It’s this potential chink in the barrier that causes some of…3 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Social EngineeringMANIPULATION AND COERCION You may think you’re not the sort of person to be fooled by a scam, but often the scammers have employed subtle ways and means to entrap you. Social engineering is the modern way of manipulating people to give up their personal and confidential information. It comes in many guises and under different sub-headings, such as Phishing, but it’s basically all a form of social engineering. Essentially, the scammer will employ your human nature and responses and turn it against you for their own gain. The kind of information the scammer is after does vary, depending on the type of scam being used, but for the most part they’re usually after your passwords, bank and credit card details, or login information in order to gain any sort…3 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Phone Home…1 WhatsApp is encrypted and secure, so it’s ideal to have on your device when on holiday, especially as texting may not be an option, but before you contact home when you’re abroad, or just out and about in your own country, it’s worth knowing that data charges can quickly mount up. 2 Always make sure you’re connected to a local Wi-Fi hotspot when you use WhatsApp. Hotspots aren’t always secure (we’ll get to that in a second), but they’re free, so they won’t burn up your valuable monthly data allowance. For added digital safety read the privacy and security sections in this book. 3 When using a free Wi-Fi hotspot, ensure that you’re connected to a VPN. Using a VPN will further encrypt your communications between the hotspot and…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4What is WhatsApp?At its heart, WhatsApp is simply a free to use cross-platform instant messaging service. However, to its many users the app is much more than just a means of keeping in touch. The WhatsApp phenomenon has spread throughout the social media digital world, offering the end user a safe and secure platform in which to communicate. There are examples of people using WhatsApp to help inform police and security services of crime as it happens, enabling better lines of communication with the public and law enforcement as well as gathering of evidence against a perpetrator. People have used WhatsApp to record geological events such as erupting volcanoes, earthquakes, tornadoes and other such catastrophes. Thanks to WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption and high standards of security, users can talk, send attachments, images and…2 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Installing WhatsApp on Android1 The first and more obvious installation method is to tap on the Play Store icon on your phone and in the search bar along the top enter: WhatsApp. Tap on the correct search listing, the one with the WhatsApp logo next to it, and you’re taken to the relevant page on the Google Play Store. 2 With the WhatsApp page on the Play Store open, tap on the Install button and the process will begin. Some phones already have a version of WhatsApp preinstalled by the manufacturer. You will know if yours is one such device as the display shows Update and Open buttons. From here it’s recommended to tap Update. 3 Once the update or install has finished you will be left with an Open button and Uninstall…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Installing WhatsApp on a Mac1 Open your web browser and go to www.whatsapp.com/download. The site looks at your machine and recommends the version of WhatsApp to download, offering a link in the centre of the page. Click this to download the app. 2 Once the WhatsApp.dmg file is downloaded it will appear in the Downloads folder in the Dock. Expand Downloads and click on the file to start the installation. After a short time you will be presented with the WhatsApp Installer window; simply drag the WhatsApp icon over to the Application folder icon. 3 Double-click the WhatsApp icon in the installer window and click Open in the confirmation box that appears. Just like the Windows desktop installation, the WhatsApp window will display a QR Code which you can scan with WhatsApp on your…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4WhatsApp on the Desktop1 Sidebar Icons – These are (from top to bottom); Show chats; Start a voice or video call; Show updates; See archived chats; Show starred messages. 2 More Icons – These icons are to start a new chat and toggle between showing all chats or unread only respectively. 3 Current Chat – Select a chat in the sidebar and it’s shown here. Click the person’s name for an information window. 4 Call and Search Icons – Make video or audio-only call to the person with whom your chatting. The magnifying glass is for searching the current conversation. 5 Chats – Click on one of these conversations to show it in the right-hand window. 6 Messages – This is the currently selected chat. Messages sent to you are on the left,…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Sending Your First Message1 Open WhatsApp, and make sure you’re on the Chats screen. Tap the blue Plus icon in the top right of the screen, and scroll to find the contact you want to reach. 2 Tap their name, and a chat screen appears. If their name isn’t in the list, see the previous tutorial about adding contacts, and inviting them to use WhatsApp if necessary. 3 Tap the text field at the bottom of the screen, and assuming your on a smartphone, the virtual keyboard is revealed. Type your message, then tap the blue button to send it. 4 You can now continue to chat. Your messages are on the right-hand side of the screen, while those sent to you by the person or people you’re chatting to are on the…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Exploring the Settings1 For Android devices, launch WhatsApp and from the default Chat tab, tap the three vertical dots located in the top right of the screen. When the menu appears, tap the last option, Settings. This will open the WhatsApp Settings window. 2 For Apple iPhone users it’s slightly easier, thanks to the design and layout of WhatsApp on iOS devices. Simply launch WhatsApp from the iPhone’s Home screen and when open look to the bottom right of the screen and tap the Settings icon. 3 For Windows Phone users, tap the WhatsApp tile to launch the app and in the Chats tab tap the three horizontal dots located in the bottom right, on the Feature Bar at the bottom of the screen. This opens the Settings window. 4 Accessing the…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Security1 Security is paramount in today’s digital world. If it’s not the threat from hackers gaining access to our online presence, then it’s some secret government agency. WhatsApp takes security seriously. Tap on the Security option in Account to see more. 2 For some time now, WhatsApp has adopted end-to-end encryption. What this means to you is that the only people who can read your messages are the contacts you send the messages to. Messages to and from your device are jumbled up so much that they can’t be deciphered if intercepted; only the sender and receiver can view the content. WHAT IS ENCRYPTION? Encryption scrambles the contents of a message, making it impossible to read without a key to decipher it. In digital terms, these keys are generated by…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Delete My Account1 You will find the option to delete your account within the Account section, as the very last choice in the menu. Tap it and you will begin the process of wiping you from WhatsApp altogether. 2 As you would expect, the company would rather you didn’t delete your account, and as a safeguard you have to enter your phone number and press the big orange button to continue. You’re given the option to change your number instead, which is helpful. ACCOUNT DELETION There’s nothing wrong with wanting to delete your account. Perhaps you’re wiping your social media presence clean, you’re concerned about privacy, or you’re too distracted by WhatsApp. Whatever the reason, Deleting your account will: • Delete your account from WhatsApp.• Erase your message history.• Delete you from…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Editing Images in WhatsApp1 First open a chat and tap the camera icon at the end of the text entry box. This will open the camera view, displaying the rear camera by default and a film strip of images you’ve already taken that are in your Gallery along the bottom of the screen. 2 Either take an image via the camera or choose one from your Gallery roll. The image will be displayed in the main part of the screen with a row of icons along the top and a caption text entry box at the bottom, along with the green Send button. 3 You can start by swiping up from the bottom, which reveals a selection of filters that you can apply to your photo. Just scroll through the filters, tapping each…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Nature HD Wallpaper for iPhone1 Open the App Store app on your iPhone and search for Nature HD Wallpaper for WhatsApp. Tap Get to start the installation or tap the app’s title for more information. Once the app has successfully installed, tap the Open button to launch it. 2 Scroll through the available wallpaper and tap to open the images. When the image opens, tap the Download button at the bottom. Open WhatsApp, tap Settings followed by Chats, then Chat Wallpaper. Tap Photos and the downloaded images are available within WhatsApp. iPHONE WALLPAPER iPhone users have more choice when it comes to default WhatsApp wallpaper. Open the Chat Wallpaper screen again (Settings > Chats > Chat Wallpaper) and choose Wallpaper Library. Rather than requiring an extra app to download and install, the iPhone has…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Delete Chats1 There are two ways of deleting a chat in WhatsApp. In the chat list, you can tap and hold the chat until a window pops up. One of the options in this list is Delete Chat. Tap it to delete the chat in question. 2 Alternatively, in the chat list, swipe the chat you wish to delete to the left. You see new icons. Tap the three-dots icon, the one labelled ‘More’, to bring up an options window. The bottom option is Delete Chat. RESTORING YOUR CHAT HISTORY WhatsApp doesn’t store any of its users’ chat histories on the company servers, so as a company, it is unable to retrieve any deleted messages. However, you can use Google Drive or iCloud to back up your chat history and ultimately…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4WhatsApp Desktop Options1 Open WhatsApp Desktop and if you haven’t already, sign in via the QR Code that the desktop displays. Once you’ve paired the mobile and the desktop, you can see the default desktop start screen, displaying the current chats, groups and your profile. 2 Click on the pen-and-paper icon for a menu that lets you start a new chat with one of your contacts, or start a new group chat. The circular icon with horizontal lines next to it toggles between showing all chats and only chats with unread messages. 3 Right-click on a chat in the list for a contextual menu, as shown. From here, you can mark the chat as unread, archive it, mute it (set how long with the sub-menu), pin it to the top of the…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Creating a Group1 Open WhatsApp and from the green Plus icon choose the first option, New Group. Tap each contact to add them to the group and they appear as members at the top of the screen. Tapping ‘X’ next to their picture removes them. 2 When you’ve picked the members, tap the Next link in the top-right corner of the screen. The next screen requires you to name the group; enter a name up to 25 characters long and tap the smiley face to add any emoji to the name. 3 Tap Create (top right) when ready and the Group is created with the selected members included. Any messages you enter are seen by the group members and likewise any messages they enter are seen by you and everyone else in…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Quote Messages1 To quote text, first open a message and locate what it is you want to quote. Tap and press the text to highlight it and call up a set of icons at the top of the screen. 2 Tap the Reply option and the highlighted text is displayed within a box with a section at the bottom for you to enter your text. You can also include emoji, animated GIFs and attachments with the quote. When you’re ready, tap the Send button to quote the text. QUOTING WITH THE DESKTOP VERSION If you want to quote some text via the desktop version of WhatsApp the process is a little different. First open the chat and find the message you want to quote. Hover the mouse pointer over it and…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Joining Communities1 Open WhatsApp, and at the foot of the screen, tap the Communities icon. To start a new community, tap the button and then type a name and a short description of the community. You can take or choose a photograph for it too. 2 You can then add groups to the community. Tap the name of the community and then tap the three dots icon and open Community Settings, where you can set who can add members and groups. By default it’s everyone.…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Steps to Help Protect UsersFOR GUARDIANS Those of you who are in charge of a young person, here’s some tips to help keep them safe in an ever-changing digital world. Talk – Probably the most important piece of advice anyone can give: Talk. Have regular conversations about what’s happening online. Talk about the latest scams, talk about what should and shouldn’t be shared online or in WhatsApp. Encourage them to be able to talk to you about anything online. Research – Do your research! In conjunction with the first piece of advice, read about the latest scams coming through WhatsApp and online, so you can talk to a young person. Use sites such as Net Aware (https://www.net-aware.org.uk/#) to keep up-to-date with the latest digital safety news. FOR KIDS You may well know more about…2 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Staying Safe on WhatsAppBE SMART We’ve put together some tips to help you train your mind into being able to handle some common chat and WhatsApp situations. 1 Screenshots can be your backup.If you find yourself in a conversation that’s turned, or is turning, into something unpleasant, then make sure you screenshot every aspect of the conversation. Therefore, if you’re called on to prove what happened later, then you’ve got the evidence behind you. 2 Accept people’s points of view.Not everyone has the same viewpoint on society, modern living, or life in general, as you do. Sometimes what seems natural to them may offend you, and vice versa. Learn to give a little, not too much, but enough so that you’re not constantly offended. Obviously, report any true offensive behaviour, but allow other…2 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4What is a VPN?VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK Using a VPN can help hide your online presence. While this may seem like an ideal way to get to illegal content, it’s actually designed to help fight for your basic right to Internet and digital privacy. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is, essentially, a server or group of servers in a remote location with which you’ll connect through a client. The VPN servers will then hide your Internet-bound IP address with their own, so for example, if you’re connected to a VPN that’s located in Australia then your IP address would appear as if you were actually sat at a desktop Down Under. The benefits of this are many, but mainly a VPN will allow you to access region restricted websites, protect you from tracking, and…3 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4The History of WhatsAppWhatsApp was launched in January 2009 by two former Yahoo! developers, Brian Acton and Jan Koum. After the pair left Yahoo! in September 2007 they spent some time travelling and, as Internet rumour has it, frequently found it difficult to stay in touch reliably with friends and family. Once they returned home they applied for a number of jobs, one of which was at Facebook HQ. Sadly, or rather thankfully, they were turned down and about that time Koum, living off his saving from Yahoo!, purchased an iPhone and immediately saw the app industry as the way forward. Koum began exploring the possibility of developing an app that would allow mobile users to interact and communicate with each other better than with what was currently available. Teaming up with Acton,…2 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Installing WhatsApp on an iPhone1 Unlock your iPhone and locate the App Store icon from the front screen (or wherever you keep it). You may need to login using your Apple id if you haven’t already done so. 2 With the App Store app open, tap the Search button. When the on-screen keyboard appears, enter ‘WhatsApp’ into the search field. Tap the Search button on the on-screen keyboard and you’re taken to the WhatsApp listing. 3 All you need do now is tap the Install button on the WhatsApp page to begin the installation process. When the install is complete the WhatsApp entry on the App Store will update with an Open button. 4 Finally, tap the Open button to launch WhatsApp and start the signing in and creating a new account steps. You…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4WhatsApp on Android1 Camera – Tapping the Camera icon instantly activates the mobile device’s camera function. Options within allow you to attach an image from your Gallery or via either of the front or rear facing cameras. Videos can be shot by long pressing the relevant button. 2 Messages – The main bulk of the screen is taken up by the messaging window. In here you can quick view any recent messages and replies or tap the person or persons to continue the chat. You can also see any created Group conversations separated from individual people. 3 New Chat – The green icon to the bottom of the main message window is where you start a new chat or message with one of your contacts. It’s also where you can create a…2 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Setting Up Your Profile1 The iPhone version of WhatsApp will ask you if you want to enable notifications, whereas the Android version will ask permission for WhatsApp to gain access to the phone’s location, Wi-Fi connection information and so on. You will need to Accept these to continue. 2 You may also be asked to grant WhatsApp access to your contacts, as well as the device’s photos, media and files. Agreeing will allow WhatsApp to create a contacts list based on your current contacts (if any of your contacts already use WhatsApp) and allow you to send media via the service. 3 Across all devices, after you’ve agreed access to notifications and the phone’s setup, you will be asked to enter your country code and phone number. WhatsApp is built on top of…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4How to Send Images Over WhatsApp1 During a WhatsApp chat, to the right of the text input window you see a camera icon. This allows you to send pictures and videos in your WhatsApp chats. Tap this icon, and the WhatsApp camera interface appears. 2 To take a new photo, tap the white button at the foot of the screen. To switch to video, use the slider below the button, then tap the shutter button, which is now red, to both start and stop recording. 3 When taking a photo, you can edit it with the options to the top of the screen, apply the built-in filters or add a caption in the field under the photo. To send the image, tap the Send icon in the bottom right. 4 When you’ve sent it, your…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Your Profile1 The Profile page is the first step in exploring WhatsApp’s Settings. To access it, enter the Settings as per your device and (in iPhone as we’re using here), tap on the top title bar with your name. 2 You can choose a unique profile picture for WhatsApp. Tap the Edit link under to the main image circle. This opens your picture. Tap Edit in the top-right corner for options to use an avatar, take or choose a photo or delete the current photo. 3 The next option within the Profile page is your visible name to other WhatsApp contacts. Most of the time you would select your own name but by tapping the pen icon, you can edit what’s already there and enter up to 24 characters as a…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Two-step Verification1 Two-step Verification is a feature that adds an extra layer of security to your WhatsApp account. It works by sending the registered phone you’re using WhatsApp on a customised six-digit PIN via SMS. When your profile is verified, the PIN is called for and entering it will unlock WhatsApp. To enable it, tap on the Two-step Verification link. 2 The setup asks for a valid phone number in order to send the SMS PIN, as well as an optional email address where you can follow the instructions to disable Two-step Verification. Don’t forget the six-digit PIN, entering it incorrectly will lock your account; additionally, WhatsApp will ask you to enter the PIN periodically to ensure you don’t forget it. MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION The future of multi-factor authentication is rapidly approaching,…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Chat Settings1 From the Settings menu, under Account and Privacy, tap on the Chats option. If you’re using an iPhone, tap the Settings icon from the main WhatsApp screen, followed by Chat Settings (the fifth option from the top). Windows Phone users access this via Settings, then Chat Settings. 2 There are several options available under Chats. The first one lets you change the wallpaper for chats, that is, the design in the background behind the messages. There’s a switch that allows you to save all photos and videos sent in WhatsApp to your camera roll. 3 The Wallpaper option allows you to change the background of the Chat screen. Tapping the option displays various sub-options from where you can pick an image to display: Gallery, Solid Colour, Wallpaper Library, Default,…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Help Center1 The Help Center for WhatsApp is behind the Help option in the Settings menu. Users of the three major platforms, Android, iPhone and Windows Phone, can find their own specific information within Settings > Help > Help Center, with each displaying a different page according to the device being used. 2 Tapping the Help Center link opens the relevant WhatsApp webpage, according to the device’s operating system. Android users may be asked which browser they would prefer to open the page with, whereas iPhone and Windows Phone users simply open the page in the default browser. 3 The Help Center page is split into several topics, each containing a range of subtopics specific to the title; with the exception of the Notice for EU Users section (only for users…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Watching YouTube Clips in WhatsApp1 Let’s assume you’ve already found a clip you want to share with your WhatsApp friends. Reduce the size of the clip (if you’re watching in full screen mode), so that you can access the controls under the clip’s title. 2 Tap the Share button, the right-facing curved arrow. When the share option window appears, on an iPhone, tap the Copy link. Alternatively, tap and hold the URL, highlight the entire link and tap Copy from the sub-menu. 3 Switch back to WhatsApp and enter a chat screen with a friend. Tap the chat box and press and hold to bring up the sub-menu and press Paste. Press the Send message button and the video preview appears in the main chat screen. 4 When your friend taps on the play…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Emoticons and Emoji Stickers for WhatsAppSticker Maker for WhatsApp – This app contains loads of stickers, Emoji and Emoticons alongside the ability to create your own Emoji. There’s bundles of unique fonts, styles and even accessories you can include within your chats. It’s free and available from Google Play. WhatsSmiley – This Android based app adds heaps of new and brilliantly designed Emoji and Emoticons to WhatsApp and other social media platforms. It’s easy to use and the styles are presented in clear HD Emojis For SMS & Social Messaging Apps – Windows Phone users can get a huge 3,000-plus pack of Emoji and Emoticon Stickers via the Windows Store tile. This app features high quality stickers from simple smileys to famous people, TV and movies; plus it’s free to download and use. Messages Wishes…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Mute Chats1 You can mute a single chat without muting your entire device’s notification settings. Long-tap the chat and select Mute from the menu, or swipe it left, tap More and tap the Mute link in the pop-up window. 2 You are now presented with an option menu. You can mute notifications from that chat for eight hours, a week or permanently. Choose an option, and you get no more notifications from that chat for that time. UN-MUTE CHATS If you want to bring the conversation back alive again before the set time period has elapsed, simply reverse the process. Notice that the muted chat contact has the mute icon in their chat bar, just under the date. Tap and long press to bring the menu up and tap the speaker…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Block Contact1 To block a person that’s sent you a message, either deep-press on the chat in the chat list and select Block from the menu that appears. Alternatively, slide it to the left and tap the Block icon that appears. 2 Another way is to go to Settings > Privacy > Blocked and tap the Add New option at the top of the screen. You can then add a contact who’s on WhatsApp regardless of whether they’ve already messaged you. UNBLOCKING CONTACTS Unblocking a contact can be done via the Settings > Privacy > Blocked Contacts screen. Tap the contact you want to unblock, then at the foot of the information screen that appears, tap the Unblock ‘contact name/number’ option. The contact is now unblocked and you can receive messages,…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4New Broadcast1 You can set up Broadcast Lists to message contacts you regularly want to send messages to, without wanting to add them to a Group. Start by tapping the green Plus icon, then choose New Broadcast from the menu. 2 Like when creating a Group, you need to select the recipients to whom you want to broadcast your messages. Tap each contact you want to include in the list and they are added to the top of the screen. Tap the ‘X’ next to their profile image to remove them. 3 Tap Create (top right) to finish and you are taken to a chat screen; as with normal and group chats, you can enter your message and include emoji, animated GIFs or attachments. Tap the green icon to send your…1 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4How to Secure Yourself on WhatsApp1 Protecting your WhatsApp account can be done mainly through the Settings > Account option. In here you’re able to secure your personal details, profile, status, messaging and visibility of your account. 2 Thankfully, WhatsApp already encrypts and secures messages sent from one device to another. This means that your data can’t be intercepted and read. However, you can opt to view security notifications if a contact’s security setting has been altered. This is in the Settings > Account > Security menu. chats. 3 For added security you can opt for two-step authentication, which requires a PIN when registering your phone number with WhatsApp. This is an absolute must for those who use the app regularly. 4 Beyond WhatsApp itself, make sure that your phone or tablet is securely locked…2 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4CyberbullyingONLINE BULLYING Cyberbullying is when someone uses the Internet, email, online gaming, social media, and any other kind of digital platform to threaten, tease, humiliate, or upset someone else. Both the bully and the victim of the bullying can be any age, from very young children up to late teens and beyond, in some cases. And the source of the bullying could be someone the victim knows, at school or college, or a complete stranger on the other side of the world. Bullying someone online doesn’t always involve threating remarks. What may seem like a playful comment on one side could be taken as a cutting jibe on the other. It’s not always an easy thing to specify, as we all have moments when we may say or do something…4 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4Watch Out for ScamsSCAM, SCAM, AND MORE SCAM! Here are some of the most common WhatsApp scams that currently, and more often repeatedly, plague the service. Codename: Olivia – We have recently seen a scam called Olivia, where the scammer used the name Olivia and then pretended to be a friend, or a friend of a friend, in order to send links to p*rnographic material. Verification Links – Scammers have found a way to send anonymous verification messages that contain links to sites, and downloads, which infect your device with malware. The verification messages look similar to those that you receive when you first sign up to WhatsApp, but in fact, they fool you into using them to get a malware payload. Free Stuff – A recent scam claims to be offering free…2 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4What is Encryption?KRYPTOS COMMUNICATIONS To better understand encryption it’s worth taking a moment to learn about its origins, how it has been developed over the years, and how it applies to our modern communications. The word encryption comes from the ancient Greek word Kryptos, which means hidden or secret. Interestingly, the use of hiding messages from others can be traced back to early Egyptian scribes who inserted non-standard hieroglyphs within other communications in order to hide the message from casual viewers. According to historians, the Spartans used strips of leather with engraved messages. When the flat strips were read they were meaningless, but when wrapped around a staff of a certain diameter the characters would be decipherable. Of course, the modern forms of encryption are far more advanced, but the overall core…4 min
WhatsApp The Complete Manual|Issue 4How Can a VPN Further Secure WhatsApp?A VPN, as we’ve discussed already, enables you to connect to a remote server, which gives your computer, or device, an alternative IP address and encases all your communications to and from the device, and the Internet, inside a highly encrypted bubble of protection. It’s a fantastic service and if you haven’t already, you should really consider adopting it. WhatsApp offers a high level of encryption between you and other users, meaning that without the right encryption keys, someone won’t be able to intercept a WhatsApp message and read its contents. However, there have been some security issues brought to light in recent years involving WhatsApp. One of the main issues, that has since been patched, was that the encryption keys could be intercepted when WhatsApp made a connection to…3 min
