How to use WhatsApp on Android

WhatsApp is a messaging service with a community of over 1.5 billion users. This app has become a part of our lives with its great intelligence, design and a variety of constantly enhanced features, such as handling large contact groups, integrating with your phone book and messaging. In this article, we will give a detailed tutorial about how to install and use the essential app features and opportunities on Android.

How to install WhatsApp on Android phone

Start with downloading WhatsApp on your phone. The guide regarding this procedure is given in the “How to download WhatsApp on Android” instruction. When the application is downloaded, we can proceed with installation and setting up:

• On the welcome screen, we need to confirm the terms of service. Tap the Agree and Continue button at the bottom of the screen.

  

• Then you need to grant the access to your device’s files, media and photos and to the contact book. This step allows you to share any files stored within your phone memory via single click.

  

• The general notification appears that informs you about allowing access to all media objects stored on your mobile device. We need to accept this one and click the Allow button.

  

• After that, another box is displayed which asks your permission to access your contact book for WhatsApp messenger. Allow once again.

  

• At last, we move on to the most important part of the setting up process. On the next screen, we are suggested to verify the phone number. Take into account that you need to give the correct, existing and working phone number and country code. When this info is provided, you will receive an SMS with the code which you need to enter.

  

• The next one serves only for approval of the phone number and country code which you have just specified. Check all the info provided by you and tap OK.

  

• Here goes the important part: verification of the phone number. If the number you entered is absolutely correct, you will receive an SMS with the confirmation code in a couple of seconds. When the SMS is delivered, you won’t need to do something: the code will be automatically inserted into the blank spaces, and you can instantly start working with WhatsApp on your mobile device. If the SMS is not received, and you are entirely sure that the phone number is correct, try clicking the Resend SMS button (perhaps, there are some delays on your cell operator line).

  

• The next step is not obligatory. If you used WhatsApp before, during the installation you are suggested to restore the backup copy of your previous media files and chat messages into your new WhatsApp account. You may skip this step, but if you had lots of media content and conversations on your old WhatsApp account, it is reasonable to perform the restore procedure. In order to run the routine, click the Restore button.

  

• When the restoration process is accomplished, you will notice the check confirmation image with the info regarding the number of messages restored. Tap the Next button in order to proceed.

  

• Now you start the customization of your WhatsApp profile. On the next window you are offered to define the profile name, which will be visible to all your contacts in the contact list. As an option, you may provide the avatar from the media gallery. When all the needed data is entered, click Next.

  

• This was the last step of the setting up procedure. Now wait a few seconds till your profile will be initialized, and you are ready for chatting, video/audio calls, group conversations, etc.

Sending and receiving messages via chatting in WhatsApp

Communication is a vital need of each person. WhatsApp includes everything you need to potentially find new acquaintances and strengthen the existing ones. Now we will tell how to use primary WhatsApp capabilities. In this section particularly, we will describe how to start a chat with the needed person. Remember that while handling a conversation, you can exchange emojis, voice recordings, images from gallery and camera shots. In addition, you can attach your documents of any types, location and contact info from the phone book.

In order to start a chat:

• click on the chat icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen (the green one);

  

• select the person you would like to chat with from the contacts list;

  

• type a message in the field at the bottom part of the screen. Remember that you can make your text interesting with emojis, camera snapshots, voice recordings as well as attach documents, locations and contact info;

  

• click on the send icon (it’s a tiny white paper plane on the green background).

  

How to invite new contacts from address book and social networks to WhatsApp

If the person you would like to talk to via WhatsApp messenger is not in your contacts list, you can send them an invitation right from the messenger.

In order to send an invite:

• click on three vertical dots button at the upper-right corner of the screen and select Settings menu item from the pop-up list. You can do it from any WhatsApp tab: Chat, Status or Calls;

  

• tap on the Invite friend item when the Settings are opened.

  

On this stage, the list of services is displayed where you can pick the most suitable and convenient one. You may use it to send an invite.

Note: Find a service which won’t have financial charges. For instance, if you choose Facebook, Hangouts or Viber, any of these will use mobile or web/WiFi traffic, and that should fit you the best. Otherwise, if you choose Messages, WhatsApp will send an SMS to the person from your contact list, and you will be charged for it according to your cell operator terms. Consider it while making a selection.

From now on, you should follow the instructions of the mobile service you have just picked, and the result will be exactly what you have expected. The GUI of each particular messenger differs, so we are not describing it to you in order to have some elements of quest and pathfinding in this guide. Use the hints and voilà! You are done.

Status management and privacy in WhatsApp

Status in WhatsApp allows you to share videos, photos, texts and animated GIFs which disappear after 24 hours. In order to make this specific feature enabled, you and your recipient should have each other’s phone numbers in the contact lists.

In order to view the other person’s status update, navigate to the Status tab and select the status of the needed contact in WhatsApp. In order to reply to the status update of the contact, tap on the Reply button at the bottom of the screen. The status update will be shown immediately.

If you want to add your own status update:

• navigate to the Status tab;
• tap one of the following buttons:
  • Text in order to write the text status update. You can write a slogan, quote, phrase or anything else you want, pick the font and background color according to your style preferences.

    

  • To record a new video, select an image from the phone gallery or make a new one. As usually, you can also customize your status content with emojis, drawings for your videos/photos/texts.

    

• click on the Send button (with a tiny paper plane).

As soon as your status is updated, you will notice the changes right away.

You can also check how many people have viewed your status update by clicking on three horizontal dots next to the status update.

In My status window, the views counter is displayed next to the eye icon. You can also check who was the viewer of the status exactly by tapping on the counter icon.

One more WhatsApp option is adjusting your status privacy. By default, your status is shared among all phone numbers of your contact book. You can choose whether you want to display your status to all the contacts or only to some of them. If you want to change your status privacy:

• open WhatsApp and go to the Status tab;
• tap on the Menu button (three vertical dots) at the upper-right corner and select Status privacy option from the list;

  

Now the list of options is shown, where you can choose who can watch your status updates.

Let’s recap what are the basic features and abilities of WhatsApp: with this messenger, you can easily exchange messages, videos, photos, voice recordings or any media files. Due to tight integration with your phone book, you can see which of your friends already have the app or invite those who have not joined the community yet. Among the rest, you can share temporary 24 hours-limited statuses, check out how many status viewers you have got or adjust the privacy settings of your status. There are much more opportunities of WhatsApp, so take a look at another articles from the FAQ help section.