All About- How to Use WhatsApp for the first time…

Whatsapp Guide for beginners...

WhatsApp is a free messenger app use by many people to communicate between two or more people. It is available for smartphone as well as for PC users. WhatsApp holds the top ranking on Google Play store in Communication category with more than 1 Billion downloads. Almost all social media lovers have this app. Using this app, one can send Photos, Audio, Videos, Documents, Locations, Contacts etc. This app also can be use for making video calls and voice call.

Requirements to Run WhatsApp On Smartphone…

•      WhatsApp App.
•      Valid Mobile Number.
•      Contacts on your Phone.

First, Download the WhatsApp app from Google Play Store or from WhatsApp official site.

Once it is downloaded, open it.

Click on Agree and Continue.

Select the Country and enter your Mobile number.

Once you confirm that your mobile number is correct, verify it. 
For that you will receive an OTP code. (OTP code will be directly entered in OTP bar and you will be directed towards the next step).

Now you have to enter your Name and set Profile picture for your account. This name will be displayed to the people, who has not saved your contact on his/her phone. (It is basically shown while chatting in Groups or if you sent a message to the person who don't have your contact. He/She can see this your name).

NOTE-  As per the new updates (19-June-2018) WhatsApp will stop working on these NOKIA devices…

Nokia 206 (Single SIM as well as Dual SIM), Nokia 301 (Single + Dual SIM devices)

Nokia 208, Nokia 515, Nokia Asha series, Nokia C3-00, Nokia C3-01, Nokia X2-00, Nokia X2-01, Nokia X3-02, Nokia X3-02.5.

The requirements for Android OS as per the new update is Android v2.3.3. Android 2.3.7 (Gingerbread) will have support for 2 years only.

iOS devices running below iOS version 7 and iPhone 3GS will no longer be able to run WhatsApp.

Window Phone 7.0 and 8.0 also loses the WhatsApp support.

To run WhatsApp your device should have….

Android running OS 4.0+

iPhone running iOS 8+

Windows Phone 8.1+

Once you complete your account creation process, you will be directed on the home screen of WhatsApp app. The main page consists of four horizontal slide tabs, which are - camera Icon, chats, status, and calls.

•       Camera Icon allows you to click pictures and sent them to your friends or put as a status.
•       Chats shows groups and friends contacts to whom you have recently sent a message.
•       Status shows the text or images that you post on your account. (Every status remains for 24   hours only, after 24 hours it is automatically get deleted.)
•       Calls shows the list of contacts whom you called or you received call from any other number.

How to Start Chatting?

To start chatting with people/friends, you need contacts saved in your mobile phone. Also, see that they are using WhatsApp or not. Once you have contacts in your phone you can start chatting.

1.            For chatting click on round chat icon (below at right side).
2.           Select the contact/your friend name and start chatting.
3.           You can also invite friends by clicking on the same icon (Invite option is listed last - after contacts). 

Tick marks on messages…

While chatting you will see these tick marks on the messages that you send to your friend.

A small clock (⏱) means- your message is not yet sent from your device.

One Grey color tick mark ( √ ) means- that your message is successfully sent from your device.

Two Grey color tick marks ( √√ ) means – that your message is received on your friend’s device.

Two Blued color tick marks ( √√ ) means – your friend has read the message.

How to Create Groups.

To create group, click on the three vertical dots (⋮) at the top of right side of Home Screen of WhatsApp >>> Click on the first option “Create Group”.

Select the contacts that you want to add in your group, then >>> click on arrow (→) option to go on next step. Now, enter group Name and set a group Icon and click on correct (√) option.

OR

You can also create group by clicking on the green round chat button, shown at the bottom of the right side of home screen of WhatsApp.

Click on the chat icon and select the first option “New Group”.

Now select the contacts and Give Name to your group, add group Icon and you’re done. Your group is ready.

NOTE – You can add only 256 members in your group.

For group link- open the group (Group Info) of which you need link. Click on “Invite via link” And copy the link.

Only Group admins get the option to copy the link of Group.

This URL can be used to join the group directly.

Broadcast.

With one Broadcast list, you can send messages to several contacts at once. Broadcast is similar to groups where you can add only 256 members and share files but, here every message is delivered seperately.

Every message that you send in Broadcast, will be shown in individual chat also with a Broadcast Icon on message.

Broadcast can be created by following these steps…

1.       Click on three vertical dots (⋮).
2.       Choose the second option from the list i.e. ‘New Broadcast’.
3.            Add the required contacts.
4.            And you’re done.

WhatsApp Web.

If you want to use your account on your PC then, you need this feature called WhatsApp Web…

This feature scans the Bar Code shown on your PC and allows you to use same account on PC which you’re using on mobile.

Starred Messages.

In group or any individual chats if you found anything important, you can give a Star to that message. The main purpose of this feature is to find the messages without scrolling long-long conversations i.e. all starred messages are kept in one place.

When you choose clear the chat (i.e. deleting all messages), that time one option will be provided to you through which only non-starred messages will be cleared and starred messages will remain as it is.

How to give a star to messages….

1.            Long press on the message that you want to give a star.
2.       Click the three vertical dots (⋮) (at the top).
3.            And click on ‘Star’.

These starred messages will be shown under ‘Starred Messages’ (‘starred messages’ title is listed in three vertical dots (⋮) lists on home screen of WhatsApp).

Manage your Privacy Setting.

Some people wants to hide their accounts Personal details like Profile Picture, Status, Last seen, About from the unknown people. To hide such details, you need follow these steps…

1. Click on the three vertical dots (⋮) (on top of right side of home screen).
2. Click on settings.
3. Click on Account >> Privacy.

(Here you can set who see your Personal Info.)

Manage Notifications Tones…

If you want to set different tones for group messages, individual chat messages then, you can do that using these steps.

1. Click on the three vertical dots (⋮).
2. Click on settings.
3. Click on ’Notifications’.
4. Choose the tones which you want on calls, individual chat messages and group messages also.

You can even choose silent option, if you don’t want tone on messages.

Manage Auto-Downloads.

If you have less Internet data and you want to restrict the downloading of the media files received on mobile device, then follow these steps…

1. Click on the three vertical dots (⋮) (on top of right side of home screen).
2. Click on settings.
3. Click on ‘Data and storage usage’.

(Now you can set which media files you want to download automatically on Wi-Fi or Mobile Network and on Roaming also).

How to Join WhatsApp Groups.

On internet various WhatsApp links are available. Select some of the links and join the various groups. If you have a YouTube channel or if you want to promote something on social media, then you can use such groups.

NOTE- Do not join the groups which shares posts related to scam activities. If you already a member of such groups then please left the Group. Also hide all the personal details before or after joining groups- (immediately).

How to BLOCK unwanted contacts…

If any unknown person is messaging you and if you don’t want that person message you again then, you can block him/her by following these steps…

1.  Open the chat of the person that you want to block.
2. Click on his/her mobile number (on top).
3. Scroll down > at last you will see two option Block and Report Scam.
4.  Click Block and Block (Again in pop up message).

How to see the contacts that you have blocked.

If you blocked your friend contact by mistake then you can unblock him/her using these steps…

1. Click on the three vertical dots (⋮) on the top right side of home screen.
2. Click on Account.
3. Click on Privacy.
4. Scroll down and click on Blocked contacts.

By clicking any on the listed contacts, unblock option will appear. By clicking on Unblock, you can remove the restrictions from that contacts. Once the contact is unblocked, he/she can message you.

How to upload status on WhatsApp.

You can add status on any special occasion or expressing your feelings, sharing the pictures on WhatsApp status. The status which you add is visible to all your contacts. If you want to show the status only to specific people then you can set it in privacy setting. (Privacy setting steps are mentioned above).

You can also upload a video as a status but, incase if your video is more than 30sec you have to split that video in different parts of 30-30sec.