Overview
- Set Groups permissions in Settings > Privacy > Groups and choose My Contacts or My Contacts Except to stop strangers from adding you directly.
- When someone you excluded tries to add you, WhatsApp blocks the action and sends a private invite you can accept or decline.
- Tighten exposure by restricting who can see your profile photo, last seen, status and avatar stickers in the Privacy menu.
- Reduce risk and clutter by enabling disappearing messages with a chosen duration, such as 90 days, and by turning off automatic media downloads in Storage and Data.
- Strengthen account security by enabling two-step verification with a six-digit PIN, reviewing linked devices for unknown access, and using the Report option on suspicious chats or groups.