WhatsApp remains the leading messaging platform globally, connecting billions through chats and calls. However, its popularity also attracts cybercriminals targeting users with scams, spam, and account hijacking.

To safeguard your personal information and conversations, cybersecurity experts advise reviewing and customizing WhatsApp's privacy settings beyond the default options. Here are 10 essential adjustments to enhance your account security:

Key WhatsApp Privacy Settings to Update

  • Hide "Last Seen" and Online Status: Prevent strangers from tracking your activity by limiting visibility to contacts or no one. Note that hiding your status also restricts you from seeing others'.
  • Silence Unknown Callers: Automatically mute calls from unsaved numbers to avoid spam while still receiving call notifications.
  • Enable Two-Step Verification: Add a six-digit PIN to protect your account from unauthorized access on new devices.
  • Lock Sensitive Chats: Use fingerprint, Face ID, or PIN to secure individual chats, especially useful if you share your phone.
  • Restrict Group Invitations: Limit who can add you to groups, reducing exposure to scam links and phishing attempts.
  • Limit Profile Visibility: Set your profile photo, About, and Status to be visible only to contacts, preventing impersonation risks.
  • Run Privacy Checkup: Use WhatsApp’s built-in tool to review and strengthen your privacy and security settings in one place.
  • Activate End-to-End Encrypted Backups: Protect your chat backups with a password only you control, ensuring no third party can access them.
  • Protect Your IP Address During Calls: Hide your IP to make it harder for callers to determine your location, with a possible minor impact on call quality.
  • Turn on Strict Account Settings: For users facing advanced threats, this mode blocks unknown attachments, silences unknown calls, and tightens privacy controls.

Cybersecurity specialists emphasize that many WhatsApp breaches occur through social engineering rather than encryption flaws. By adjusting these settings, users can significantly reduce their vulnerability to scams, spam, and unauthorized access.

Taking a few minutes to configure these privacy options safeguards not just your messages but also your digital identity and contacts.