WhatsApp Messenger

For many Indian families, WhatsApp is the default way to message, share photos and make voice or video calls. It uses your phone number as your identity and works over mobile data or Wi-Fi. Personal messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted, according to the developer.

What to check before installing

• Open Settings > Privacy and choose who can see your photo and last seen.
• Turn on two-step verification so nobody can register your number elsewhere.
• Never share the six-digit verification code and avoid links from unknown numbers.

Who it suits

Almost everyone with a smartphone. See our guide on backing up chats before changing phones.

Always install from the official store listing linked on this page.

In practice: A parent gets a message that says their son has had an accident and asks for urgent money. The right move is to stop, call the son directly, and ask a relative to confirm. Slowing down for two minutes beats every setting in the app.

What we think

WhatsApp is the default way many Indian families talk, so the real question is not whether to use it but how to use it safely. Personal chats are end-to-end encrypted, but scams arrive through the same app: fake job offers, lottery messages and cloned accounts. The most useful habits are two-step verification, a locked-down profile photo and never sharing the six-digit code that WhatsApp sends by SMS.

Five WhatsApp settings to review today

• Settings > Account > Two-step verification: set a six-digit PIN so nobody can register your number on another phone.
• Settings > Privacy: choose who can see your profile photo, About and last seen, and who can add you to groups.
• Settings > Linked devices: remove any device or web session you do not recognise.
• Settings > Chats > Chat backup: confirm that backups are on before you change phones.
• Open a chat with an unknown number and use Block and report if it pushes you towards money or links.

Where to go next

For larger groups and channels, many people also use Telegram. Before you change phones, read how to back up WhatsApp chats, and learn the signs of a fake job offer scam.

Before you install: common doubts

What should I do if someone asks for the WhatsApp code?

Never share it. The code lets another person register your number on their phone. If you already shared it, turn on two-step verification and re-register your number at once.

Is a forwarded message always true?

No. Many forwards are old, edited or false. Check the source before you forward anything, especially on health, money or news.