WhatsApp's monthly user base is now expected to reach nearly two billion. Apart from instant messaging and sending stickers/gifs, the messaging app also includes some hidden gems and features. WhatsApp for iPhone requires some manipulation around the application, unlike its Android counterpart which offers options and settings easily.
Contents1. Pin chat2. Conversation read/unread3. Mark read all4. Read the receipt5. Archive chat6. Dumb cat7. Export chat8. Delete chat9. Quick reply in chat10. Search for a message11. Private message from a group chat12. Add stickers to images13. Use 3D Touch to peek into conversation and statusBonus Tip:Lock Using Touch ID / Face IDUse WhatsApp Like a Pro
Did you know that WhatsApp for iPhone includes gestures to quickly navigate through features and options? Once you master these gestures, the whole experience becomes very productive. Let's look at the top 13 tricks to use WhatsApp for iPhone like a pro.
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After using WhatsApp for a while, the app's home screen fills up with chats. Keeping track of important conversations can become a tedious process. Mainly because you'll have to scroll every time you want to see one again. Luckily, the app offers a Pin option that lets you chat on top.
Swipe left on any thread to see the Pin option. Tap the pin and the conversation will appear above all chats with a small pin icon.
Marking a thread as read is quite easy. You can either open a conversation or swipe left and select the Read option. The trick comes in handy when you also want to mark that thread as unread. Follow the same gesture and mark it as unread.
We all have one of those busy days where we don't have time to check WhatsApp messages. Later, going through every message in individual chats and group chats feels like a chore.
You can tap Edit, select threads, and tap the Read All option at the bottom to mark pending messages as read. This helps when you want to avoid scrolling in group chats.
On iOS, you can quickly take a look at the reading reception of their messages. Swipe left on any message and the next screen will show two crucial details – the time the message was delivered and when the recipient read it.
Instead of deleting a conversation, you can declutter the WhatsApp home screen by hiding them. Swipe right on any chat and tap the Archive Chat option.
On Android, the archive list can be accessed by scrolling to the bottom of the chat list. iOS makes it easily accessible with a single tap. Swipe down or perform a drop-down gesture on the home screen to reveal the Archived Chats option below the search field.
The option to mute a chat is a godsend to someone like me. Some of my contacts frequently spam me with their commercial products. With the mute option, I can avoid these unnecessary distractions while I work.
There are two ways to activate it. Either you can tap on the name of the chat contact and tap on the mute option at the bottom. Or you swipe left on the contact's chat thread from the home screen, tap a three-dot button, tap More and choose Mute and repeat the same flow to unmute.
Switching from Android to iOS or vice versa will not transfer all WhatsApp messages successfully. Also, there is no easy way to do this since WhatsApp officially does not support cross-platform backup using Google Drive. This is where the export chat option comes to the rescue.
Swipe left on any chat thread, tap More, and select Export chat. WhatsApp will provide an option to attach or exclude media – photos, videos and documents. After choosing one of the options, you will get the share sheet to choose an app to send the copy of the exported chat.
Deleting an unwanted WhatsApp thread is quite simple. Swipe left on the chat you want to delete, tap More with three dots and select Delete chat option.
Last year, WhatsApp introduced the ability to quickly reply to a particular message with a swipe gesture. In a chat, swipe left on any message you've received and you can directly start composing a reply to that message.
Let's say you want to find a specific message and don't want to scroll or browse through a sea of conversations. WhatsApp lets you search for a particular word or term by getting the search box with a simple swipe down gesture on the home screen.
Note: The search box hides in two scenarios:when you force quit WhatsApp or when you restart your iPhone.
Type a relevant term into the search menu and you'll find search results that display threads at the top and individual posts with search keywords in bold.
Introduced in the latest WhatsApp for iPhone v2.16, you can now privately reply to a particular group chat message. So suppose you want to talk about a specific message to a sender but privately. You can reply to this message privately and participate in a private chat instead of asking in a group.
Long press on the message in the group chat to reveal a drop-down menu, press More and select Reply privately. WhatsApp will start a direct conversation with that person and choose the message you selected with the name of the group. There you can compose a reply and start the private chat.
Last year, WhatsApp added support for stickers. And with the recent update on iOS, you can add stickers to images before sending them. Previously, WhatsApp allowed annotating images with color filters, texts. Now you can add stickers to give those photos a personal touch.
Finally, WhatsApp added the ability to Peek and Pop a status with 3D Touch on supported iPhones. Long press any WhatsApp contact status and the message will pop up to give you a quick view.
You can also perform a 3D Touch action on any chat thread to quickly review a recent chat with the other person.
Hope WhatsApp adds support for the same long press feature on iPhone XR with the next update.
Pro Tip: When you view a status using 3D Touch, the contact will not be notified that you have viewed their status.With the recent v2.19.20 update, WhatsApp received support for using Touch ID and Face ID on iPhones. You can now lock and unlock the app using your phone's default biometrics.
To enable it, go to Settings> Account> Screen lock. Activate the option.
A few years ago, WhatsApp received criticism for being too simple. That has changed over the past two years. WhatsApp is gradually narrowing the gap between casual users and power users. The addition of 3D Touch API and Peek and Pop for nifty gestures is a welcome change.
iPhone users, especially those with iPhone 6s Plus and above, can use these tips to save time and get the most out of WhatsApp.
Next:WhatsApp groups are always overflowing with messages and can get overwhelming. These 10 amazing WhatsApp group tips and tricks will help you become a champion at creating and managing groups.
