How to have a hidden conversation on WhatsApp?

How to have a hidden conversation on WhatsApp - briefly?

To have a hidden conversation on WhatsApp, you can use the app's built-in features such as disappearing messages or archiving chats. These options provide an additional layer of privacy by automatically deleting messages after a set time or hiding the chat from the main list.

How to have a hidden conversation on WhatsApp - in detail?

Having a hidden conversation on WhatsApp involves several steps and features designed to enhance privacy and security. Here’s a detailed guide on how to achieve this:

  1. Enable End-to-End Encryption: WhatsApp automatically enables end-to-end encryption for all messages, ensuring that only the sender and recipient can read them. This means that WhatsApp itself cannot access the content of your conversations, providing a secure environment for communication.
  2. Use the Disappearing Messages Feature: Introduced to enhance privacy, this feature allows you to set a timer for how long messages will be visible in a chat. Once the timer expires, the messages will automatically disappear from both the sender and recipient’s devices. To enable this:

    • Open WhatsApp and go to the chat where you want to activate this feature.
    • Tap on the contact's name at the top of the chat.
    • Select "Disappearing Messages."
    • Choose from the available options (24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days).
  3. Create a Secret Chat: For an even higher level of privacy, consider creating a secret chat. This feature is available on WhatsApp’s desktop and web versions:

    • Open WhatsApp Web or Desktop.
    • Click on the three dots (⋮) in the top-left corner to open the menu.
    • Select "New Secret Chat."
    • Choose the contact with whom you want to have a hidden conversation.
    • Once in the secret chat, you can set timers for messages to disappear and enable end-to-end encryption.
  4. Use Two-Step Verification: Enhance your account security by enabling two-step verification. This adds an extra layer of protection to your WhatsApp account:

    • Open WhatsApp and go to "Settings."
    • Navigate to "Account" and then "Two-Step Verification."
    • Follow the prompts to set up a PIN and provide an email address for recovery.
  5. Avoid Saving Media: To keep your conversations as hidden as possible, avoid saving media such as photos or videos to your device's gallery. WhatsApp allows you to choose whether to save received media:

    • Go to "Settings" > "Chats."
    • Turn off the option for "Save to Camera Roll" (iOS) or "Media Visibility" (Android).
  6. Regularly Clear Chat History: Manually deleting chat history can help maintain privacy. This action removes messages from your device, although it may not delete them from the recipient's device:

    • Open the chat you want to clear.
    • Tap on the three dots (⋮) in the top-right corner.
    • Select "More" > "Clear Chat."

By following these steps, you can significantly enhance the privacy and security of your WhatsApp conversations, making them effectively hidden from unauthorized access.