If you use WhatsApp, you should definitely know these 5 privacy settings; they help keep your account safe.

WhatsApp is now strengthening its end-to-end encryption to protect users from the increasing number of online scams. We often share our personal details in chats, which is why the app regularly introduces new privacy tools.

WhatsApp is a very popular app for sending and receiving messages. We use it for everything from everyday conversations to important work. This is why it has also become a prime target for scammers. Because of this, WhatsApp continuously strengthens its end-to-end encryption. If you enable these 5 WhatsApp privacy settings, your chats and data can be much safer. Let's find out what these settings are.

Privacy Check

First, open your WhatsApp and tap on the three dots in the upper-right corner. Go to Settings and then click on Privacy. In this section, you can decide who sees your Last Seen and Online Status – everyone or only your contacts. You can also control the visibility of your profile picture and hide your WhatsApp Status from selected people.

Disappearing Messages

With this feature, your chats disappear automatically. You can decide whether the messages are deleted after 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days. To enable this, go to any chat and tap on the three dots at the top. You will see the Disappearing Messages option there. From here, you can set how long the messages remain visible.

Two-Step Verification and Security PIN

To make your WhatsApp even more secure, you should definitely enable Two-Step Verification. To do this, go to your Settings, where you will see the Account option. After clicking on it, you will need to enable Two-step verification. Here you will have to set a 6-digit PIN. This will prevent anyone from logging into your account without permission. Also, add your email address so you can recover your account if you forget your PIN or lose your phone.

Advanced Settings

If you want to further enhance your privacy, go to Settings, then Privacy. There you will find an Advanced option. Here you'll find some useful options. You can block messages from unknown accounts, hide your IP address during calls, and disable link previews. While these might occasionally affect call quality, they significantly improve your privacy.

Read Receipts

You can also disable read receipts. This will prevent others from knowing whether you've seen their messages, and scammers won't be able to track your activity.