Overview
- When WhatsApp creates a link preview, the sender’s phone fetches the page, which reveals the sender’s IP address to the site and can allow rough location or tracking.
- Users who want to avoid this can switch off previews in WhatsApp under Settings > Privacy > Advanced by turning on Disable Link Previews.
- Turning on Protect IP Address in Calls hides your address from call partners by routing audio through WhatsApp’s servers, which can reduce call quality.
- Signal’s design prevents IP exposure when generating previews, and the app also offers an option to route calls through its servers.
- WABetaInfo reports the preview toggle first spotted in a 2024 beta is now available to users on Android and iOS.