WhatsApp is one of the most popular
messaging apps out there, with roughly 10 percent of human
beings actively using it every month. Given this volume of use, it's clear
it gets a lot of things right, but today we will be
concentrating on what it gets wrong. Here are some of the most common
WhatsApp problems on Android and their solutions.
I
can't install WhatsApp
In order to download the latest version of WhatsApp, you need
to have a smartphone running Android version 2.1 or higher. You can check your
phone's current Android version in Settings > About Phone.
If you're trying to install the
WhatsApp app from the WhatsApp website, you'll need to have Unknown Sources enabled
in your security settings. Go to Settings > Security >
Unknown Sources to activate it.
How
do I install WhatsApp on a tablet?
If you have a tablet that only works
with Wi-Fi, you will have problems installing WhatsApp, because you
generally need a SIM card and a phone number to activate your WhatsApp
account.
There is a solution to this
problem. All you need is a working cell phone, your phone number, and our
detailed guide on how to get WhatsApp on your tablet. A word
of caution: if you play around with things that aren't normally allowed, you do
so at your own risk.
I
can't connect to WhatsApp
WhatsApp connection problems are
usually caused by your Wi-Fi or network data connection. If you aren't able to
send a message, here are a few solutions:
- Make sure your phone is switched on (one for the newbies).
- Install the latest version of the app from the Play Store (link above).
- Check your internet connection, Wi-Fi or 3G (in Settings > Wireless and Network).
- Make sure that a Task Killer app isn't affecting WhatsApp.
- Empty the app cache (Settings > Applications > WhatsApp > Clear Cache).
- Finally, the most extreme solution: uninstall the app and then reinstall it.
WhatsApp
doesn't recognize my contacts
There are a few reasons why WhatsApp
wouldn't recognize your contacts, so here is a simple checklist to make
sure it does:
- Make sure you have your contacts' correct contact numbers (the ones they use for WhatsApp).
- Make sure that they are currently using WhatsApp.
- Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp.
- In your contact list, make sure all of you contacts are 'visible' and/or 'viewable'.
- In your contact list, make sure all of your contact groups (friends, family, co-workers, etc) are set to 'visible' and/or 'viewable'.
Make sure WhatsApp is looking for all your contacts (right).
How
do I add international contacts in WhatsApp?
We've all been there. You're
traveling through South America on your gap year, and you're introduced to that
guy in that hostel that you know you'll want to keep in touch with forever. You
get his digits, and search for him in WhatsApp, but he's not there...
The solution is simple: when
adding international contacts, you must always make sure you include the
correct regional code (for example, +51 for Peru), even if your
current number uses the same code. It might help if the other person does
the same for your number too.
How
do I block contacts in WhatsApp?
People block contacts for any number
of reasons. I'm not here to judge. The process is very simple. To
block a contact, all you need to do is go to the conversation with the
contact you wish to block, tap the options button (the three dots), tap More and
then tap Block.
You can add as many contacts as
you like to this black list and then you won't receive any more messages
from them. If you later decide you would like to unblock a contact, go
back to the same place and choose Unblock.
Simply tap the three dots > More > Block to block a
contact. /
What
does 'Last Seen' mean in WhatsApp?
The 'Last Seen' time stamp tells you
when a user was last using WhatsApp. This does not necessarily mean that they
have read your messages, only that they opened the application.
When you're in WhatsApp and one
of your contacts also opens WhatsApp, you'll see their status change to
'Online' but again, this doesn't mean they're looking at your messages, just
that they are using WhatsApp.
How
do I hide my Last Seen timestamp in WhatsApp?
In WhatsApp, go to your Settings,
then to Account, then to Privacy. In this menu, tap Last
Seen and select Nobody from the options that pop up. This
means that no one will be able to see the last time you had WhatsApp open. You
won't be able to see when your contacts were last online either.
If you hide your Last Seen time stamp you won't be able to
see other people's either.
How
do I pay for WhatsApp?
There are different payment
possibilities: Google Wallet and sending a payment link. Some older versions of
WhatsApp still support PayPal too.
- The first will give you the option via your navigator to pay with your Paypal account or by credit card.
- The second pertains to your Google Wallet account, for which you can subscribe for easier app purchasing (you will need to give Google your bank account information).
- The third one will send you a purchase link via email.
How
do I stop people from knowing that I've read their messages?
As of WhatsApp
version 2.11.444, you can disable the WhatsApp blue check marks (read
receipts) so that users do not know whether you have read your
messages. This works both ways, so only disable this if you're OK with not
knowing who has read your messages too. Go to Settings > Account >
Privacy > Read Receipts.
Gray checks haven't been read, blue checks have been read.
How
do I delete my WhatsApp account?
Firstly, deleting your WhatsApp
account and deleting the WhatsApp app are two different things. If you
make the decision to cut ties with WhatsApp, you can just uninstall if from
your device. You will be able to download it again from the Play Store
later if you want to, but this is not the same as deleting your account.
- To uninstall the WhatsApp app from your phone: go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Uninstall.
- To delete your WhatsApp account entirely: go to WhatsApp > Menu > Settings > Account > Delete My Account and confirm your phone number. You also have the option to change your WhatsApp number associated with your account here.
How
do I disable media auto-download in WhatsApp?
While this is a super handy feature
when connected to free Wi-Fi, auto-downloading media shared by your friends
is not the best idea if you are near your data limit.
To disable this feature, go to
Settings > Chat Settings > Media Auto-Download, and
configure the options to your preference. Note that voice messages are always
automatically downloaded, but their file size is usually much smaller than that
of pictures and videos.
How
do I share and send any file in WhatsApp?
WhatsApp has a
relatively limited number of file types you can send: photos, videos,
audio, map location, contact details. Even with those supported file types,
WhatsApp heavily compresses them. But what if you want to send a PDF or a
GIF?
The easiest way to circumvent these
limitations is to use an app.We recommend one called CloudSend,
which links to a Dropbox account and then creates short-link URLs to any
type of file you want to share, in WhatsApp or elsewhere. Simply grab the app,
hit the share menu for the file and choose CloudSend.
If you have more questions, leave
your requests in the comments below and we'll update this article
with more solutions for your WhatsApp problems.
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