New WhatsApp tricks and features

Now everyone uses WhatsApp to exchange messages with friends, colleagues, relatives, girlfriends and anyone else who participates in a themed group. WhatsApp is a very easy to use application, where you just have to select the recipient, write and send the message. There are, however, many other less known functions in WhatsApp, options to activate or deactivate, different ways to send messages and, above all, to read them.
Given the many recent updates of this application, we have decided to create a single guide in which to make a summary of new features and new tricks of WhatsApp, so you can get to know them all and apply them as soon as necessary.
App experts will have known these options for some time, while those who have recently used WhatsApp will surely appreciate knowing what an app that is so simple to use yet so powerful hides.

READ ALSO: Whatsapp: Tricks and secrets of chat on Android and iPhone

WhatsApp tricks and features

Below we can find a roundup of WhatsApp tricks and functions to try and test on our app, whatever the starting operating system.
Some are semi-unknown and are worth learning to significantly improve the WhatsApp user experience.

Send messages to yourself on WhatsApp

On WhatsApp we can create a private chat to use as a personal cloud where to save documents, photos and any other type of supported files, so as to have them available on a PC or when necessary.
Compared to Telegram (which has a personal chat ready for use) on WhatsApp we will have to create a group of which we are the only participants: then press the icon at the bottom to create new chats, press on New group, we add a single contact (even our secondary number or a number of a person we already know), we give a name to the group (for example Personal files) and confirm where necessary; after creating the group, press the name of the group at the top and remove the user we added during creation (by pressing on its name and using the item Remove), so as to remain the only participants.

Now we will have a personal space where to save messages, photos, documents and videos to always keep at hand.

Select emoticons and emojis quickly

From the WhatsApp app often our stylized emoticon is immediately converted into emoji, so that we can better express our thoughts. If we use WhatsApp Web or the WhatsApp app for deskop we can quickly select the most famous emojis using the colon followed by the name of the emoji we want to obtain, such as for example :bird, :bike O :heart.

Share your location in real time

If we want to let friends or our parents know where we are, we can share our position in real time by opening the chat or the group on which we want to activate it, pressing down on the paper clip, pressing the icon Position and finally pressing on Real-time location.
We also talked about this feature in the guide App to send your position or be followed in real time.

Send photos on WhatsApp at maximum resolution

Using the default WhatsApp photo upload system, a strong compression will be applied, necessary to quickly upload even the largest photos; but if we wanted to upload the photos at maximum resolution (as taken by the camera) just open the paperclip menu in a chat or a group and choose the icon Document O Browse other documents.

Now all we have to do is take us to the folder of photographs (DCIM O Pictures) and upload them at the highest quality.

How to activate the dark theme on WhatsApp

Even WhatsApp has arrived the dark theme, to be used on iPhone and Android to make the app consistent with the Dark Mode of the phone. Usually the mode is activated by itself on the iPhone and on some Android, but if we want to activate it manually, just go to the path Settings -> Chat, press on the item Theme and finally select the theme Dark.

Change font in messages

WhatsApp has added the ability to send text messages with a different font called Fixedsys.
To change the writing character in a message, you need to add three accents ` at the beginning and end of the sentence or word.
For example, “`navigaweb“`

On the iPhone the grave accent character is obtained by holding down the apostrophe, while on the Android keyboard it is found in the second screen of symbols.

Format the text in messages

One of the newest features of WhatsApp, which I talked about in another article, is the ability to format text and write messages in bold, italics or strikethrough.

Use two or more WhatsApp accounts on the same phone

If until some time ago, to use two WhatsApp accounts it was necessary to run particular apps that almost never work or complicated procedures, now it is out Parallel Space to use an app like WhatsApp with two accounts together.
In this way, you can simply open a second WhatsApp session on a virtual environment that is completely independent from the first. The only drawback is that having two active WhatsApps on the mobile phone, the battery runs out much earlier.

Read messages without sending read receipts

We already know it’s possible disable the read receipt (blue ticks) on WhatsApp provided, however, that you give up on seeing the read receipts of others. If you don’t want this, the only trick is to read the previews of the messages from the notification bar, which, on the iPhone, can become more than just a preview.
If you are using an iPhone, when you receive a message on WhatsApp you can simply use the 3D touch (with a light touch) to get a preview of the message and read it without notifying the sender.
On Android, however, there are some app to hide access and reading of messages which deactivate the connection when activated to avoid sending confirmation.

Forward messages in other conversations

As already explained and as happens for the Emails, it is possible now Forward messages and quotes in WhatsApp, to resume what others have written and to turn important messages in other chats.
This is especially useful in group chats, where you can clarify when replying to someone.

Block the preview of notifications

Previewing notifications for messages received in WhatsApp on the lock screen or notification center of the iPhone can be a bit annoying for those who want to keep privacy.
On iPhone, you can easily stop notification center notifications by going to Settings -> Notifications and turning off previews.
On Android smartphones there is no this option, but you can go in Android Settings> Apps> WhatsApp> Notifications to tap the option that blocks all notifications from WhatsApp.
In reality this drastic measure is not necessary for most of the cases and we have studied, in this blog, other interesting solutions for Mute WhatsApp and disable notifications, Improve Android notifications on the lock screen e Hide WhatsApp messages, chats and contacts.

Find who speaks the most

If you want to know who you chat with the most in WhatsApp, on iPhone and Android just take the path Settings> Accounts> Storage usage to see the contacts with whom you exchange more messages, photos and videos.

Check who has read the message in a group

If we are part of a group on WhatsApp and have just posted an important message, you can easily check who has read it.
On an iPhone just swipe on the message while on Android press and hold on the sent message and then press the key with the i up.
You will then be able to see who has read the message and at what time.

How to chat with users who have blocked us

We explained, in another article, how to block people on WhatsApp.
Instead, there is also a trick to unlock our account by blocking another by doing a complete reset. Basically, we go to WhatsApp Settings and delete the account completely, uninstall WhatsApp, reinstall and register again as if we were new. We will lose all information and stored data, including chats, backups, photos and so on, but we will be able to communicate with anyone who has blocked us.
In this regard we can also read our guide on how Find out who blocked us on WhatsApp.

Other WhatsApp tricks

In WhatsApp it is possible to send photos, send videos and even documents; all we have to do is read our article on how send PDF and Office documents in WhatsApp.

We can too Tag on WhatsApp in groups, so that whoever is tagged receives notification without the possibility of being able to ignore it.

Per Find out if a voice message is being heard you can see if the microphone icon turns green. In another article, the guide and tricks to send voice messages with WhatsApp.

Conclusions

These little tricks will allow you to make the most of WhatsApp in every situation, so as to make it a complete 360-degree app for working, exchanging messages with friends and keeping in touch with relatives.

Other useful tricks can be seen in our guide on WhatsApp functions you need to know to be an expert.