With round two billion energetic accounts, WhatsApp continues to be one of the well-liked messenger apps round. However, customers of the inexperienced chat guru nonetheless make plenty of errors – a few of which aren’t with out hazard. Listed below are the eight greatest WhatsApp pitfalls it is best to keep away from
1. Taking photographs and selfies straight with WhatsApp
To avoid wasting bandwidth, WhatsApp compresses some photographs and movies earlier than they’re despatched. Nevertheless, this solely impacts media that you simply create straight within the app utilizing the small digital camera icon.
To ship footage or movies in the very best quality, it is best to subsequently not take such footage with WhatsApp, however with the cellphone’s personal digital camera app. Then add the picture as an attachment straight within the chat window, so that you don’t must tolerate any lack of high quality.
2. Messaging like a machine gun
A severe breach of fine chat etiquette: As an alternative of sending ideas as formulated (or at the least coherent!) messages, some customers solely ship chunks of textual content – however a number of them.
The recipient then not solely receives a discreet sign tone for a single message. They’re just about bombarded with beeps and ring tones – till the annoying nuisance needs to be muted to guard their psychological well being. Right here’s an instance of such intrusiveness:
Hello! (Ding!)
am on the town (Ding!)
the place are you? (Ding!)
meet tonight? (Ding!)
could be cool! (Ding!)
hi there? (Ding!)
…
have you ever blocked me?? (no extra ding)
Such chat terrorists get bonus factors in the event that they drive a number of customers loopy on the identical time with their behaviour in group chats.
Additionally learn: WhatsApp will get a very new look together with ‘Tremendous Darkish Mode’.
3. Falling for scammers
Even cautious customers have fallen into the lure: Anybody who makes use of WhatsApp too credulously or naively can shortly be focused by scammers and fraudsters. This occurs with seemingly innocent hyperlinks (phishing) or the notorious baby trick. Right here, scammers pose as supposed members of the family and declare, for instance, to have a brand new cell phone with a brand new quantity that it is best to please save.
Instance message:
“Hi there mum/dad! Sadly I’ve misplaced my cell phone and am now utilizing this new quantity. Please reserve it and delete the outdated quantity immediately!”
A short while later, cash is begged for emphatically. Though such scams have been round for years, many useful customers nonetheless fall for them – and never simply dad and mom.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
4. Not utilizing the WhatsApp desktop app
No octopus on the planet can kind as shortly and precisely on a touchscreen as you’ll be able to on a keyboard with a little bit follow. So in the event you spend plenty of time sitting at your PC, WhatsApp Desktop is at all times a good selection (obtain right here for Home windows and Mac).
The shopper reveals preview messages as desktop messages, presents loads of house to look at movies or footage and makes chatting through keyboard as fast and simple as potential. Messages will also be obtained when the smartphone is offline.
5. Exhibiting messages on the lock display screen
It’s sensible, however may be embarrassing: In case you enable WhatsApp messages to be displayed on the lock display screen within the Android system notifications, you danger prying and maybe even unwelcome glances.
Particularly as a result of the written phrase is definitely misunderstood with out context, there may be bother if colleagues, pals or the boss catch a glimpse of the smartphone on the flawed second.
Due to this fact: For higher knowledge safety, it’s higher to deactivate the function within the gadget settings.
6. Sharing on-line standing with out pondering
By default, WhatsApp reveals contacts within the particular person chat window after they have been final on-line or whether or not they’re presently on-line.
Nevertheless, generally you don’t wish to share this data in any respect: In any case, not everybody must know that you simply couldn’t sleep at evening or didn’t really feel like replying to sure messages.
Many additionally really feel pressurised when WhatsApp reveals that you’re a chat however don’t have a reply prepared but. Prior to now, spy apps have additionally emerged which have utilised such knowledge to listen in on WhatsApp customers.
The answer is to easily modify and management your WhatsApp ‘Final seen’ and ‘On-line’ standing.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
7. Create group chats and use hyperlink invites
The group perform is especially well-liked with WhatsApp. Admins can add new customers right here straight through the app or ship entry hyperlinks with the messenger – however these harbour a danger.
With such hyperlinks, any consumer who can entry a hyperlink can be part of the group. Even these you won’t wish to have within the group.
In case you subsequently wish to retain management over participation within the group chat, it is best to solely invite others straight. Particularly within the group chat window: Menu (three dots) > Group information > Add members.
Who hasn’t skilled (and regretted) this: you’ve lastly persuaded Aunt Erna to leap on the WhatsApp bandwagon – however now she’s sending us eight cat movies a day, 4 clips of her favorite cooking programme and each single gag gif from the senior residents’ membership. Jeez, Erna!
Thankfully, you’ll be able to defend your cellphone reminiscence and your nerves: Merely regulate the automated media obtain within the WhatsApp settings below “Storage and knowledge” and at the least exclude movies.
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This text initially appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and tailored from German.
