How to prevent messages from unknown numbers from coming to WhatsApp?

How to prevent messages from unknown numbers from coming to WhatsApp - briefly?

To prevent messages from unknown numbers on WhatsApp, you can adjust your privacy settings. Go to Settings > Account > Privacy > Messages and select 'Nobody' or 'My Contacts'. This will ensure that only people in your contacts list can send you messages.

How to prevent messages from unknown numbers from coming to WhatsApp - in detail?

To effectively prevent messages from unknown numbers from reaching your WhatsApp, you can implement several strategies that enhance your privacy and security settings on the platform. Below are detailed steps and best practices to achieve this:

Step 1: Adjust Your Privacy Settings

WhatsApp offers a range of privacy settings that allow you to control who can contact you. To access these settings:

1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Go to Settings (or tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings).
3. Navigate to Account.
4. Select Privacy.

Here, you can customize your privacy settings:

• Last Seen: Choose who can see when you were last online.
• Profile Photo: Control who can view your profile picture.
• About: Decide who can read your status message.
• Status: Limit who can see your status updates.

Step 2: Block Unknown Numbers

If you receive a message from an unknown number, you can block that number to prevent further messages:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to the chat with the unknown number.
2. Tap on the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen.
3. Select More > Block.
4. Confirm by tapping Block.

Step 3: Use Two-Step Verification

Enabling two-step verification adds an extra layer of security to your WhatsApp account, making it harder for unknown numbers to reach you:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Account.
2. Tap on Two-step verification.
3. Follow the prompts to set up a PIN.
4. Optionally, provide an email address to help recover your account if needed.

Step 4: Limit Who Can Add You to Groups

Unknown numbers can also add you to groups without your consent. To prevent this:

1. Go to Settings > Account > Privacy.
2. Tap on Groups.
3. Choose one of the following options:
   • Everyone: Anyone can add you to groups.
   • My Contacts: Only contacts in your address book can add you to groups.
   • Nobody: No one can add you to groups without your permission.

Step 5: Be Cautious with Links and Attachments

Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown numbers, as they may contain malware or lead to phishing attempts.

Step 6: Report Spam Messages

If you receive spam messages from unknown numbers, report them to WhatsApp:

1. Open the chat with the unknown number.
2. Tap on the three dots in the upper right corner.
3. Select Report > Spam.
4. Confirm by tapping Report and Block.

Step 7: Regularly Update WhatsApp

Ensure that your WhatsApp application is always up to date, as updates often include security enhancements and bug fixes that protect against unknown messages and contacts.

By following these detailed steps, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of receiving unwanted messages from unknown numbers on WhatsApp, thereby enhancing your overall user experience and ensuring a higher level of privacy and security.