10 “hidden” functions on WhatsApp that will improve your life

Brazil’s most beloved app, which practically everyone uses, has “hidden” features that can make everyone’s life a lot easier. O Whatsapp it is constantly evolving, so you may have overlooked some of these valuable features.

But the MofWoman is here to help you: we list 10 functions that you may not know yet, but will certainly use from now on:

1. Bold, italic and strikethrough

Do you know when you write a text and need to draw attention to a specific word? It’s easy, easy to use the formatting that we are used to using on our computer. Bold🇧🇷 Italic and crossed out work on any phone, just learn the shortcuts.

To write a word or phrase in bold on WhatsApp, just put the text between two asterisks, like this:

*this is the text I want in bold*

To write a word or phrase in italics on WhatsApp, enclose the text between two underscores, like this:

_this is the text I want in italics_

And finally, to place the crossed out word or phrase, simply enclose the text between two tilde symbols:

~this is the text I want crossed out~

2. Skip line

Are you one of those who write textão on WhatsApp, with several paragraphs and chapters? So this tip is very useful. By default, in the application, when you press the key enter the message is sent. If you want to skip a line, do it like this:

• Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the application;
• Click on “Settings”;
• Click on “Conversations”;
• Select “Send with Enter”, if you want the message to be sent when clicking this button
• Leave unselected if you want the enter key to skip a line

3. Send messages to multiple contacts, without having to create a group

Are we going to agree that in 2018 we are going to create fewer groups on WhatsApp? If you want to send a message to several people at the same time, you don’t need to create a new group, just use the “Broadcast Lists” function. It works like this:

• Click on the three dots in the upper right corner;
• Click on “New Transmission”;
• Select the contacts you want to send the message to;
• Click on the little green tick in the lower right corner;
• Write the message normally and send it;
• You can also click on the three dots at the top of the message and give a name to this transmission list;
• Important: only those who have you in their contact list will receive the message.]

4. Save your carrier’s data plan

We use WhatsApp all the time, and if you receive a lot of photos, videos and audio, it can kill your data plan. For the game not to be too expensive, some configurations can help, and a lot, to escape this trap.

• Click on the three dots in the upper right corner;
• Click Settings;
• Click on Data and Storage;
• Select in which situations WhatsApp can automatically download using data network, Wi-Fi or roaming.

If you want, you can choose never to download automatically – that way you don’t even have to delete those videos with sexist jokes that a stupid contact insists on sending.

Extra: you can also select the option that reduces data usage on voice calls, at the bottom of this screen.

5. Disable “last seen”

If you’re not interested in having people know the last time you accessed WhatsApp, for whatever reason, it’s easy to disable this feature:

• Click on the three dots in the upper right corner;
• Click Settings;
• Click Account;
• Click Privacy;
• Select who can see “Last Seen” – Everyone, Nobody, or My Contacts

Just pay attention that if you don’t let others see it, you won’t be able to see this information from your contacts either.

6. Block that unwanted person

Whether you’re a spammer, an annoying ex, or a pushy salesperson, you don’t have to get messages from a certain person if you don’t want to. Blocking is easy, easy.

• Within the conversation with the person, click on the three dots in the upper right corner;
• Click on “More” at the end of the menu;
• Click on “Block”

If you regret it, you can unblock it from the Settings > Account > Privacy menu.

7. Record looooong audio without holding the button

If the story you have to tell is good and long, no holding the microphone button until your finger bleeds. There is an easy and practical way to record those long audios that we love to send to the BFF.

• Within the conversation with the person or in the group, click on the clip to attach files;
• Then click on “Audio”;
• Click “Record with WhatsApp”;
• Click on “Record” and you can speak without fear of the audio being cut in the middle!
• When finished, click “Stop” and “Send”.

8. Delete regretful messages

sometimes in the heat of the moment we send messages we shouldn’t send. Whatever the reason, WhatsApp now allows you to delete the sent message – as long as you regret it within seven minutes.

Just select the message in question, click on the trash can icon and choose whether you want to delete it for yourself or for everyone. In place of the message is a notice that it has been deleted – whoever saw it, saw it. Those who haven’t seen it, don’t see it anymore…

9. Free up space on your phone

So much chat takes up space, see? If your cell phone is asking for a break, it’s time to use the “Backup” function. The application saves everything in Google Drive so you can safely and fearlessly delete conversations and files.

• Click on the three dots in the upper right corner;
• Click Settings;
• Click on Conversations;
• Click on “Chat Backup”
• Click on “Backup”
• Wait for the whole process and that’s it

10. Create a shortcut to your favorite conversations

You can access your favorite WhatsApp groups or chats super ultra fast, with those people you talk to all day long. Just create shortcuts to these favorite conversations, and save them in a privileged place on your cell phone’s home screen. And so:

• Select the conversation or group on the WhatsApp home screen;
• Click on the three dots in the upper right corner;
• Click on “Add shortcut to conversation”;
• The shortcut will automatically be created on your cell phone’s home screen. How about organizing everything in a “My favorite conversations” folder?