WhatsApp: 38 Features and Tricks to Make The Most of The App's Potential

20. Reply to Specific Messages in Chats

In group chats or even one-on-one conversations, replying to a specific message can be useful for clarity. To reply to a specific message:

• Long-press the message and tap the reply icon (a left-pointing arrow).
• The quoted message will appear above your reply, helping to avoid confusion, especially in busy group chats.

21. Forward and Copy Messages

If you need to share a message with someone else, you can easily forward or copy it:

• Forward: Long-press the message, tap the forward icon (a right-pointing arrow), and choose the recipient(s).
• Copy: Long-press the message and tap Copy from the pop-up menu to paste it elsewhere, like in another chat or a different app.

22. Delete Messages for Everyone

If you send a message by mistake, you can delete it for both yourself and the recipient. However, this feature is time-sensitive and must be used within about one hour of sending the message.

• Long-press the message and tap Delete → Delete for Everyone. The message will be replaced with a "This message was deleted" placeholder.

23. Export Entire Chats

Need to keep a record of a chat or archive conversations outside WhatsApp? You can export your chats, including media if desired:

• Go to the chat you want to export, tap the three dots in the top-right corner → More → Export Chat. You can choose to include or exclude media.

The exported chat will be sent via email as a text file, along with any attached images, videos, or audio files.

24. Use WhatsApp Search to Find Messages

If you're searching for an old message, WhatsApp's built-in search tool is a lifesaver. To use it:

• Open a chat and tap the three dots in the top-right corner → Search.
• Type the keyword you’re looking for, and WhatsApp will highlight every instance in the conversation.

For broader searches across all chats, go to the main chat screen and tap the search icon at the top.

25. Schedule Messages With Third-Party Apps

WhatsApp doesn’t have a native scheduling feature, but you can use third-party apps to schedule messages. Apps like SKEDit or Wasavi allow you to schedule text messages for future delivery, which is handy for birthdays, reminders, or professional follow-ups.

26. Send Messages Using Voice Assistants

You can send WhatsApp messages hands-free by using a voice assistant, like Google Assistant or Siri. Just say:

• For Google Assistant: "Hey Google, send a WhatsApp message to [contact name]."
• For Siri: "Hey Siri, send a WhatsApp message to [contact name]."

The assistant will guide you through composing and sending the message.

27. Share Your Location in Real-Time

WhatsApp allows you to share your live location with contacts for a set period (15 minutes, 1 hour, or 8 hours). This is useful for meeting up with friends or letting someone know your location during travel.

• Open the chat → tap the attachment icon → Location → Share Live Location and choose the duration.

28. Pin Your Favorite Chats

If you frequently chat with certain contacts, you can pin those conversations to the top of your chat list for easy access. To pin a chat:

• Long-press the chat and tap the pin icon (a thumbtack). This keeps the conversation at the top, regardless of new messages in other chats.

You can pin up to three chats.

29. Customize Notifications for Specific Chats

You can set custom notifications for specific chats, helping you differentiate between personal and professional contacts or giving priority to certain people.

• Open the chat → tap the contact or group name → Custom Notifications → toggle it on and set your preferred tone, vibration, and more.

30. Save Data While Using WhatsApp

WhatsApp offers an option to limit the amount of data it uses, which is especially useful when you have a limited data plan.

• Go to Settings → Storage and Data → toggle on Use Less Data for Calls.

This reduces the data consumed during voice and video calls, though it may affect call quality.

31. Send High-Quality Photos and Videos

WhatsApp compresses photos and videos by default to save data, but if you want to send them in high quality:

• Attach the media as a Document instead of selecting it from the Gallery. This preserves the original quality.
• Tap the attachment icon → Document → Browse → select the photo or video file.

32. Check Storage Usage and Manage Files

WhatsApp can take up a lot of storage, especially in chats where media is frequently shared. To keep your phone’s storage in check, WhatsApp provides a detailed breakdown of how much space each chat is using:

• Go to Settings → Storage and Data → Manage Storage.

From here, you can see which chats or groups are using the most storage and delete specific files like photos, videos, or voice notes from a particular chat without losing the entire conversation.

33. Hide WhatsApp Media from Your Gallery

To prevent WhatsApp media from cluttering your phone’s photo gallery:

• Go to Settings → Chats and toggle off Media visibility.

This will stop media from appearing in your gallery while still keeping it accessible within WhatsApp. You can also do this for individual chats by tapping the chat name → Media Visibility → toggle off.

34. Activate WhatsApp Status Privacy Settings

WhatsApp Status, similar to Instagram Stories, lets you share images, videos, or text updates with your contacts for 24 hours. If you want to control who sees your Status updates:

• Go to Settings → Privacy → Status and choose from My Contacts, My Contacts Except, or Only Share With specific people.

This ensures your updates are only visible to the intended audience.

35. Mute Annoying Group Chats

Group chats can become overwhelming with constant notifications. If you don’t want to leave the group but need peace, you can mute it:

• Open the group chat → tap the group name → Mute Notifications and select the duration (8 hours, 1 week, or always).

You can also customize whether to show or hide notifications when the group is muted.

36. Create Broadcast Lists for Mass Messaging

Broadcast lists allow you to send the same message to multiple contacts without creating a group chat. This is perfect for sending announcements or invitations:

• Tap the three dots in the top-right corner → New Broadcast.
• Select the contacts and compose your message.

Unlike group chats, recipients won’t know they’re part of a mass message and will respond privately to you.

37. Manage Multiple WhatsApp Accounts on One Device

Some smartphones allow you to use dual apps, which lets you run two WhatsApp accounts on the same phone. This is useful if you have separate personal and business numbers. To do this:

• Check your phone’s settings for Dual Apps, App Clone, or a similar option.
• Enable dual WhatsApp, set it up with a different phone number, and manage both accounts on the same device.

Alternatively, you can use WhatsApp Business to keep your personal and professional accounts separate.

38. Back Up Your WhatsApp Data

Backing up your chats ensures you don’t lose important messages or media. WhatsApp allows automatic backups to Google Drive (for Android) or iCloud (for iOS). To set this up:

• Go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup.
• Choose the backup frequency (daily, weekly, or monthly) and the Google Drive or iCloud account to save the backup.

You can also manually back up your data at any time by tapping Back Up.

Final Thoughts

WhatsApp is more than just a messaging app—it's a powerful tool filled with hidden features that can enhance your communication and security. By using these 38 functions and tricks, you’ll be able to tailor WhatsApp to your preferences, making it an even more efficient and enjoyable platform for both personal and professional use. Whether you're keeping your chats organized, securing your data, or making the most of WhatsApp Web, there's always something new to learn and apply.

Take advantage of these tips to become a true WhatsApp pro!.