Popular IM service WhatsApp has been under the radar lately. While news of the app getting updates is a regular things, but it's nothing compared to the controversy surrounding its latest blue ticks read message feature.
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In case you don't know yet, the blue ticks have been introduced as a sure way of notifying people that you have indeed had a glance at their latest message. While it may not seem likt that big a deal, the Internet has gone overtly wild in the last few weeks, with the new feature being at the butt end of several jokes and memes.
However, with a new update (and some alterations), the blue ticks problem can be solved. However, there are a few other tricks that WhatsApp successfully offers, only waiting for your to check them out. Check them out here.
Locking WhatsApp
There are times when those near or around you will take a sneak peek at your WhatsApp messages (since privacy is a thing of the past, anyway). However, while you cannot change people's habit, you can lock your IM from prying eyes. Head over to the Google Play and download WhatsApp Lock. This will make sure sure your WhatsApp is protected by a PIN.
Hide Profile Picture
Have you ever wanted to hide your WhatsApp profile picture? Well, it's just a tap away. If you are indeed looking to hide your profile picture for WhatsApp, just download the WhatsApp Plus app. After installing WhatsApp Plus, go through the on-screen steps and you will be able to hide your profile picture.
Hide WhatsApp Images in Gallery
Some of us do feel sometimes the urge to remove images from the phone's gallery. Well, it isn't that hard. Just create a .nomedia file in WhatsApp's images or video directories. Note that you will need a file explorer such as ES File Explorer to do this. Next, navigate to the images or video folders and tap the New button in the lower left. There, pick File and create a file called .nomedia. This should stop the Gallery from scanning the folder.
Create Fake Chats
With WhatsApp, it's easy to prank your friends into believing that you just spoke to some celebrity on the IM. For that, you will need to install the WhatSaid application. This will allow you to create fake conversations with anyone you want. You could also set a picture, name and create your own messages to make the conversation realistic.
Messaging Stats
If statistics and anything related forms a major part of your life, this will surely interest you. There's an app called WhatStat that provides information metrics for your top friends, most active times of the day as well as details on message distribution.
Transfering .RAR Files
While WhatsApp offers you a lot of opportunities on your handset, one of the primary features of it remain to be associated with transferring huge files. It's easy to break bank on that by installing the likes of CloudSend and Dropbox. You just have to open CloudSend and allow it to link Dropbox with CloudSend. When uploading is done, you are ready to share it with your friends.
Change WhatsApp Phone Number
There's no point in uninstalling and installing the IM app if you have adopted a new phone number while maintaining the old phone. There's a setting in WhatsApp that will let you shift your WhatsApp account to a different phone number. Just go to Settings -- Account -- Change number. Follow the instruction likewise.
Spying on Friends
Keeping the philosophies related to ethics for the time being, it's actually easy to spy on your friends once in a while. For that, you could install the Spymaster Pro app. This app can track and read entire conversations, while also tracking shared photos.
Shortcuts for Contacts
There will be a few friends out of the rest who will be a part of your life everyday. And it's easy to create shortcuts for those contacts on your phone. Just long press on the group or contact you want to create a shortcut for, and you will see the menu pop up. There, just tap on Add conversation shortcut. And your shortcut will be ready on the homescreen.
Tab on Automated Downloads
If you think your WhatsApp app is taking far more phone data than you expect, you could always put a stop to that. Just head over to the Settings -- Chat Settings -- Media auto-download and pick the option that suits your requirement.
