Widely popular and highly personalised messaging app WhatsApp has been on the radar over privacy concerns. Users have now started questioning the security of their data despite end-to-end encryption. Here are some ways to help you protect your WhatsApp data.
Two-factor authenticationThis feature has become increasingly popular and is optional on WhatsApp. It adds more security to your account. Once you enable this two-step verification, any attempt to verify the phone number on WhatsApp will ask for a six-digit passcode that is created by the user. You can use your email address as well. This email address will allow WhatsApp to send you a link via email to disable two-step verification in case you ever forget your six-digit PIN. For enabling this feature, go to Settings, then Account, two-step verification, Tap Enable, Add 6-digit PIN, confirm 6-digit PIN, add email address (if you wish to use email address for WhatsApp to send you a link), confirm email address, tap Save and it's done. For iOS, the option of 'Settings' is given at the bottom right corner on the app screen.
Disable WhatsApp's cloud backup
WhatsApp takes the backup of every message, video, or photo that is shared on Google Drive or the iCloud. What's worrying is that these backups are not encrypted. Therefore, if you want to ensure privacy, stop uploading data on the cloud.
To disable the cloud backup on Android, click on the three dots given at the top right corner of the app screen. Now tap Settings, go to Chats, go to Chat backup, Back up to Google Drive and then Tap Never. For iOS, tap 'Settings' at the bottom right corner of the app screen: Tap Chats, then Chat Backup, Auto Backup, Tap Off. Alternatively, you could also go to iPhone Settings, Tap on your Profile name at the top, iCloud, WhatsApp, Disable Lock WhatsApp
Locking WhatsApp can be another way to safeguard your privacy. Using a biometric like Face ID or your fingerprint to unlock this app can secure your app and its contents.
Here's how you can do this:
Go to WhatsApp's settings from the menu in the top-right or the "Settings" tab at the bottom-right. Go to "Account" and "Privacy" and enable either of the two- "Fingerprint lock" (Android) or "Screen lock" (iOS). Once enabled, you have the option to automatically lock WhatsApp. This can range from "Immediately" to one hour. After making your choice, you must scan your fingerprint or face to on WhatsApp.
End to end chat encryption
The End-to-end encryption is always activated on WhatsApp and cannot be turned off. Every chat on WhatsApp has its own security code. The code is used to make sure that the chat is encrypted. To verify a security code, the user either needs a photo of the security code that has been assigned or the phone of the person itself. These security codes change when you install or uninstall WhatsApp or change the phone. If the security code of your contact changes, you will get an alert in the chat thread.
WhatsApp pin
Having a strong six-digit security pin (or biometrics) for your WhatsApp will ensure the privacy of your chats and personal data. This pin ensures that no third-party can have access to your WhatsApp account. Enabling WhatsApp security pincode is a part of the app's two-step verification process described in the first slide.
Move chats to SD Card
WhatsApp backup chats are transferable. You can move the backup from your phone to your microSD card or any other drive you want and keep it secure there. In order to move your WhatsApp files to a microSD card on Android, you need to disable cloud backup option on WhatsApp. Once finished, go to Settings, then Chats, Chat backup, choose Back Up.
This will start backing up your files to your local memory. Once finished, go to your phone's internal storage, WhatsApp, Databases. You'll find the backed up files in the 'Databases' folder, which can then be easily moved within your local phone memory.