Lock Down WhatsApp: 9 Privacy and Security Settings to Change Today

WhatsApp is how most of India talks — and a favourite target for scammers. These settings take five minutes.

1. Two-step verification: Settings → Account → Two-step verification. Set a 6-digit PIN so a stolen SMS code isn’t enough to take over your account.
2. Passkey or email: add a passkey or email address (Settings → Account) as a recovery option.
3. Who can add you to groups: Settings → Privacy → Groups → “My contacts”. Stops random “investment” and job-scam groups.
4. Silence unknown callers: Settings → Privacy → Calls. Unknown numbers go silent but still appear in your call list.
5. Protect IP address in calls: Settings → Privacy → Advanced. Calls are relayed through WhatsApp’s servers so your location is harder to guess.
6. Profile photo and About: limit to “My contacts” — scammers copy photos to impersonate people.
7. App lock: Settings → Privacy → App lock (fingerprint or face).
8. Disappearing messages for sensitive chats, and turn off auto-download of media from unknown chats (Settings → Storage and data).
9. Privacy checkup: Settings → Privacy → Privacy checkup walks through the rest.

Never share

The 6-digit WhatsApp code or your two-step PIN. Messages like “I sent you a code by mistake, please forward it” are the most common account-theft trick. See also UPI scams in India.