WhatsApp’s VoIP calls offer speedy, cost-free communication and often outperform traditional cellular calls, that’s why in certain regions it has even become the preferred method of making calls. However, the widespread popularity of the app has also given rise to an epidemic of spam calls — whether you rely on WhatsApp or your conventional phone app, spam callers can be relentless.
If you’ve been receiving spam calls from unfamiliar numbers, often originating from different countries and at inconvenient hours, there is good news: Meta (the parent company of WhatsApp) has introduced a new feature that automatically silences all calls from unknown numbers. You will still receive a notification about the call and see it in your call logs, but WhatsApp calls from unknown numbers will no longer disturb your sleep in the middle of the night.
Image: WhatsApp
Enabling this feature is a straightforward process. Ensure that you have updated WhatsApp to the latest version, then navigate to Settings > Privacy > Calls. Activate the “Silence unknown caller” option, and you’re all set!
While you’re in the Settings section, we recommend exploring WhatsApp’s new Privacy Checkup feature. You can access it at the top of the Privacy page. Through a simple step-by-step process, you can gain control over who can contact you, manage access to your personal information, and learn how to protect your account.
Image: WhatsApp
Here are some privacy-related suggestions:
1. Choose Who Can Contact You: In this section, prevent random additions to groups and review your blocked contacts.
2. Control Your Personal Info: Take charge of who can view your profile photo, last seen status, and read receipts. You have the option to restrict sharing any of this data.
3. Enhance Privacy in Your Chats: Enable end-to-end encrypted backups for added privacy.
4. Strengthen Account Protection: Activate two-step verification to safeguard your WhatsApp data from hacking attempts. Additionally, consider enabling a screen lock specifically for the WhatsApp app to further enhance security.