Attractive What's App features... Do you know about them?

What's App instant messenger is currently the most popular App. It is the largest network in communications. Viewing messages, replying, posting messages, sharing photos and videos, making video calls, etc., have increased by and large. This social media, eDigital application that connects people in any part of the world, has numerous features. However, very few people know about all of them.

2-step verification
This feature gives additional security. In fact, What's App is very easy to use. Download the app and give your mobile number. You will get an OTP on your mobile phone. Type the OTP in the app for the account to be activated. There are chances of others using your What's App messenger, in case your phone is stolen. For this, there is 2 Factory authentication. A 6-digit pass code has to be given. Before using your What's App, you will be asked to give the pass code. If it is not provided, What's App will not open. In case you have forgotten the pass code, you can reset it via email.

representational imageHow to reply to a message in a group?
There is provision to maintain a maximum of 250 contacts in one What's App account. You may have 50 to 100 members in a group. You too might be included in the group. Hundreds of messages are posted daily in each group. If you want to reply to one message in the group, there is a facility for this. Press and hold the message to which you would like to respond. It is selected in a blue box. In the task bar, above the messages, two arrows will appear. One is turned towards the right and the other to the left. Touch the arrow turned towards the left. The message will automatically be copied at the end of all the messages in the group. You simply have to type in your text reply.

How do you know who read your message in a group?
There will be a number of people in a group. But how can you know who read your message? Normally, when you chat with a contact, alone, as soon as they see your message, a blue, double-ticked mark will appear against the message. But in a group, no mark is seen. In Android phones, as you press and hold your message, an ' i ' mark will appear at the top of the screen. You can see the list of people who saw your message, by clicking on it.

representational imageListen secretly to What's App messages
If you are too lazy to type text messages, you can send voice messages as well. If you touch any voice message, it is automatically activated. It is inconvenient when you are among several people. Immediately put your phone to your ear. The voice speaker, will change to ear speaker. With this, the message will be heard only by you and no one else.

Text should appear prominent
If your text should appear prominent, you have to type '*' before and after the text. The message will appear in bold. If you type  '_' underscore before and after your text, it will appear in italics. Several special characters (brackets, commas, dashes) can be added before and after the text message, to make it appear prominent.

One message to several people
There is no need to keep selecting each contact separately, whenever you want to send a single message. When you open What's App messenger and click on the three dots on the top right hand corner, an option called 'new broadcast' will appear. When opened, it will show the list of your contacts. You can make a list of the contacts, to whom you will often send similar messages. A broadcast list will be created. More contacts can be added or existing ones deleted from this list. You can send a message by just clicking on broadcast list, that will appear on top of all your What's App contacts.

representational imageReduce your data
There is a default option in What's App, through which images and videos sent via What's App are downloaded instantly. This increases your data usage. Even the phone memory is full. For this you will have to go to automatic and click off the download option. Later, images, photos and videos will be downloaded only if you click on them. With this, data usage will be reduced drastically, as you would download only necessary videos and photos. There are two options, in video download -- wifi or data. Either of them can be chosen, as per the requirement. Data usage option has to be accessed for this. Low data usage option also exists. This is meant for using low data while using What's App call. Also you can choose the network in which you would like to download media (photos and videos). This is for deciding when the media files can be downloaded, either through wifi or mobile data.

Muting chats, groups
Hundreds of messages and notifications coming from various chats and groups could be quiet irritating at times. These could, however, be muted. Audio alerts and notifications can be also be muted. This way you will not know, even if you get a message. Only when you open What's App, you will know that you have a message. Once you select a contact or group to mute, the mute option on the menu will be seen. It can be activated.

Privacy, secrecy
Your friends and close ones, who are on What's App, can find out when you last viewed their messages. When you open one of the contacts on your What's App list, the contact details, of when he or she last checked in to What's App, can be seen. The timing and 'last seen ...' message appears at the top of the screen. If you do not want your contacts to know when you last viewed their messages, you can switch off the 'last seen' option. When you go to Account section in Settings, a privacy option appears. In this, other options regarding secrecy will appear. If you opt for secrecy, you will not be able to know if your contacts viewed your messages or not. The last seen status of your friends too will not appear, as What's App will secure the same privacy for them as well.

Sharing Documents
Even documents can be shared on What's App, along with photos and videos. PDF, Excel and Word files can be shared.

representational imageShortcut on Home screen
If you are searching frequently for some contacts for chatting on What's App, you can keep them as shortcut on your Home Screen. In chat list on What's App, select the contact and press the 'add shortcut' option in the menu on the three dots, at the top. that particular contact will be seen on the Home screen.

What's App on PC
If you wish to use your What's App on your phone, while working on your PC, you can access it. For this open http://web.whatsapp.com. At the same time, open What's App on the phone and click on the option, What's App web, in the menu, by clicking the three dots on the top of the screen. A QR code scanner will appear. With the help of this, scan the QR code on the computer screen. With this it will be connected. Data is very important for this. Before sending any message to your contact, you can test it by sending it to yourself. Create a What's App group for this. Add one or two persons in this. Then delete them. Only you will remain in the group. When you send a message to yourself, it will be received.

Sending files to computer from phone
Like said earlier, send a file to your own What's App account. Later, open What's App on your computer through What's App web and download the file that has been sent.

Disable notifications
If you wish not see the notification icon when you get a message on What's App, you can disable notifications in Settings. After that, you will not be notified whenever you get a message on What's App. You can switch it on if you wish.

representational imageCall worldwide on What's App
Anyone living in any part of the world, can be called via What's App. No extra charges need be paid for this. Only data is necessary. Call can be made even if the net is slow. However, some delay will be caused, for the voice to reach the other end. Video call is an attractive feature.

Block contacts
If you get messages from strangers, you can block them. There will be three options under the message that is sent: Report Spam, block, add to contact. You can choose block option. If the message is a spam, that can be selected. If it is someone you know, you can add them to your contact list. If you report spam, you will not get any messages from that particular contact. If it is some important person, then it is a problem. So better to check whether the caller is genuine, by downloading True Caller App. through this, know the details of the caller and then come to a decision.

Create group on What's App
Select New Group in Menu. You will be directed to your contacts list. Select the contacts, you will like to add to your group. At the bottom of the screen, there will be an arrow mark, towards the right. When this is clicked, you are asked to name the group. Give the name and select the tick mark, to create the group.

Removing more than one message at a time
Deleting chat list is a major task. You can delete more than one message at a time, by selecting all the unwanted messages and pressing 'Delete' at the bottom. The messages will be deleted within a second.

Mark favorite messages with star
Messages that are important or favored, can be stored by marking them with star. For this, select the message, by pressing on it for a second, until a star icon appears on the top of the screen. If that is clicked, the star will be applied to the message. Such messages can be stored in chat page as favorites. While deleting, there is an option to delete all other messages, except the starred ones. In the menu on the top of the screen, an option called 'more' has to be clicked. In this, there is an option, 'Clear chat.' By clicking on this, you will be deleting all the chat messages. But before this, there is another option which reads, 'keep starred messages.' Keep this option selected and press click on clear chat. The starred messages will remain, while the remaining will be deleted. If you want to delete the starred messages, click on the option to switch it off.

Messages to read later
There is another option in menu which reads, 'mark as unread.' Select the messages you would like to read later, and click on the option. The messages will be immediately marked. You can read them later, at your own leisure.

Reply from notification bar
When you get messages on What's App, your are notified about them, which shows on top of the screen. You can reply to any message from notification bar. However, this option is only for a message from a single contact.

Back-up on Google drive
All chats and files on What's App can be backed up on Google Drive. This option will be useful, when your phone is changed or lost. Go to Settings and select back up option. Then you will have to click on Back-up to Google Drive. There is a facility to back up not just chats, but all media files and documents. However, backing up on Google, adds to the data.

Send to mail
There is another option under 'more' in chat menus. It is 'mail chat,' through which you can send the chat messages to your email.

Wallpapers can be changed
Separate wall papers can be used for What's App, as a variety. Go to Chats option and select the wall paper of your choice.

Telugu typing
You can select your favorite language. Some 11 Indian languages, along with Telugu, can be used on What's App. This can be done, by clicking on App language, under 'Chats.'

Search option
Searching for important information, in long group or individual chats, is possible on What's App. Search icon on the top of the screen will help. Type the word or text, in the search bar, after clicking on the icon. It will highlight the particular message. For example, if you want any message, with the word 'like' in it, type 'like' in the search bar.

First to get updates
If you want to be the first one to get updates on What's App features, you must become are beta tester. For this, you must register yourself with What's App. The app organizers, before adding a new feature, test it by sending it to beta testers. After the test and improving its quality, the feature is added to What's App.

representational imageMap helps to trace your location
You can message your location to a friend via Google maps. The Global Positioning System (GPS) has to be switched on for this. Then select attachment icon. Then select your location. Google maps is opened. Pin your location on the map and send it. When your friend clicks on your message, Google maps opens on his phone. He can follow the directions as per the location marked in the map.

Sharing contacts
Earlier, your could share somebody's phone number, either by calling or sending a message. But in What's App there is a feature, which allows you to share a contact number easily, to a number of people at the same time. For this, open the contact number you wish to share. On the top of the screen, in the menu, click View Contact. The profile of the person appears. In this, there is an option called 'Share contact.' When this is clicked, your contact list is opened. Select the contacts with whom you want to share the number. Select the green arrow mark, at the bottom on the screen, to send the message.

Take back wrong messages
You can delete messages that you have sent by mistake, to one person instead of another or for any other reason, you have changed your mind. As soon as you realise the mistake, switch on Aeroplane mode. Then delete the message. Sometimes messages take a few seconds to reach that particular contact, due to fluctuating speed of the net. But for this you have to act very quickly.

Transferring from old phone to new
If you wish to transfer your What's App data from your old phone to a new one, first back it up in Google Drive. Then download What's App on your new phone and activate it with the old number. You will be asked if What's App should restore the data from Google Drive, for which you will have to say OK.

2 What's App accounts on one phone
There is facility for this. Click the link: https://www.ap7am.com/english articles 109 to know how to use this facility.

Close What's App account, change number
There are options in Settings on What's App, to either close your account or change your contact number. You will find, Privacy, security, 2-step verification, change number, delete my account etc. You can choose any of the options as per your need. What's App has a number of other features. You can experiment with the options that are available in the App.


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