Blocking unknown callers and other WhatsApp privacy features you should turn on right now

WhatsApp's new privacy check menu allows you to block unknown calls, but that's not the only way it can protect your single-person conversations and active group chats.

This messaging app has made great progress in privacy and security, and you will find many options in the new menu. That's not bad for a service that once faced a massive churn after its parent company Meta suggested sharing its user's information with Facebook and Instagram.

We can't cover all the features of privacy checks, but here are our favorite features – you should enable them if you haven't enabled it. You can access this new menu on Android by tapping the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen, selecting Settings , and then selecting Privacy. The steps on iOS are similar, but you will start with Settings in the lower right corner of the screen and click Privacy. Regardless of the operating system, you will see the Privacy Check Banner at the top of the screen - click it to start.

Block unknown calls on WhatsApp

The most exciting feature in the privacy check menu is the ability to automatically block incoming calls from unknown numbers. This is a serious problem in India (WhatsApp's largest market), and users receive a large number of spam calls, and the severity even caused the Indian government to intervene.

[Related: 7 security messaging apps you should use]

On the Privacy Check menu, click

to select who can contact you , and then click Mute unknown call to set this feature. The next screen has only one switch, which you can switch to on to activate this feature. After

, incoming calls from numbers not saved to your contact list will not be redirected, but you can still see them in the

Calls tab of WhatsApp. This way, if you recognize a number later, you can still call back or save it to your contact.

Lock with your biometric information WhatsApp

If your entire family knows your password and you want to add an extra layer of security to your chat, then this is the way to do it. WhatsApp will use any biometric information you have set up through your phone. This means you can use your face or fingerprint, depending on whether your device supports them.

In the Privacy Check menu, go to

Add more protections for your account and select Use biometric information to unlock or Screen lock. To activate this feature, switch on the switch on the next screen. Once you do this, WhatsApp will let you decide how the locked work.

The first thing you need to set is when you want the app to lock itself. You can have it verify your identity immediately after you switch the app or your phone locks itself (select Immediately ), or you can choose a one-minute or 30-minute grace period, during which the app will remain unlocked . Remember, if you select any option other than "Immediate", WhatsApp will remain accessible for that time period even if you lock your phone.

Encrypt your backup

WhatsApp was once vulnerable to government access to its user data. This is because the app uses Google Drive and iCloud to save backups, allowing Google and Apple to ultimately decide whether third parties can view this information. This is not ideal.

The solution is not to change where users save backups, but to give them the ability to encrypt data. That way, no one, even Meta, can't decrypt it. However, this feature is not enabled by default, so you need to set it deep to activate it.

[Related: 4 Reasons You Should Use WhatsApp Web]

In the Privacy Check menu, select to add more privacy to your chat and click End-to-End Encrypted Backup. On the next screen, you will find more information about this feature, including the current size of your WhatsApp backup. Click to open to continue.

The next step is to set up an encryption key so that you can access your data in the future. You can use two methods: create a password or use a 64-bit encryption key.

Click Create password and follow the steps. If you are not using a password manager (you should definitely use it by the way), you may want to choose the 64-bit password key provided by WhatsApp. Don't worry - this is not a line of seemingly endless numbers, you don't have to write it on some post-it notes. It is 16 sets of four characters (numbers and letters) each, and you can take screenshots and save them in a safe place. You still need to enter the key manually, but if you are the kind of person who repeatedly uses the same three passwords, this may be a safer solution. Click to use the 64-bit encryption key to let WhatsApp show you the code. After writing or taking a screenshot, click I have my 64-bit encryption key and you are ready to go.

An important warning: No matter which method you choose, make sure you have securely backed up your password or encryption key somewhere. If you lose it and want to set it up later on a new device, your ability to access backups will depend on whether you can still access WhatsApp. If this is the case, you can go into the app and turn off backup encryption. But, for example, if you get a new phone because you lost your phone, or you delete the app before setting it up somewhere else, you will lose everything and need to start over. Yes, this includes your precious sticker collection.

So scary, but these, along with the rest of the privacy and security features mentioned above, are designed to protect you and your data. Check out the privacy check menu to see what else works for you. Then go to check the settings of other applications and make these checks a habit.

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