Two WhatsApp settings you can’t afford to ignore – check them right now
WHATSAPP has tonnes of useful features that make messaging more secure.
Two features in particular are super handy if you're worried about people snooping on your texts.
WhatsApp lock
Locking your WhatsApp separately to your iPhone is very important.
It means people who are using your phone can't read your texts.
To set this up you need to head to your WhatsApp settings.
Next, tap "Account" and then "Privacy".
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From here, you can switch on "Screen Lock" with either Touch ID or Face ID.
You'll also be able to pick a duration time for when the ID is required again.
Now whenever you go to open the app, it'll ask you for your prints or a picture of your face to check it's really you.
You can still read and quick reply to messages in your notification window, so the tool isn't foolproof.
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You'll also be able to answer WhatsApp calls.
If that's a concern, you can always disable all message previews in your iPhone settings.
WhatsApp self-destructing texts
WhatsApp can automatically delete the texts that you've sent after a set period.
The setting is designed to boost your privacy – by destroying old WhatsApp messages.
You can set Disappearing Messages to automatically turn on for all new chats – without affecting existing conversations.
And two new durations have been added for Disappearing Messages, 24 hours and 90 days.
So now you can choose from four options in total: 24 hours, 7 days, 90 days or Off.
Go to Settings > Account > Privacy and then turn on Default Message Timer.
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This feature only rolled out a few weeks ago, so make sure you've updated WhatsApp to its latest version.
Bear in mind that this system isn't perfect.
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