WhatsApp Privacy Settings — Complete Guide to Every Setting in 2026
WhatsApp has many privacy settings. This complete guide covers every option to help you control your privacy in 2026.
Profile Visibility
- Last Seen:Everyone, My Contacts, Nobody
- Profile Photo:Everyone, My Contacts, Nobody
- About:Everyone, My Contacts, Nobody
- Status:Everyone, My Contacts, Nobody
Messaging Settings
- Read Receipts:Turn off to hide blue ticks (limited)
- Groups:Everyone, My Contacts, My Contacts Except...
- Disappearing Messages:Off, 24 hours, 7 days, 90 days
Calling Settings
- Silence Unknown Callers:Silence calls from people not in your contacts
- Picture-in-Picture:Allow during calls
Location Privacy
- Live Location:Share current or live location in chats
- Location sharing ends:When you tap stop or after set time
Advanced Chat Privacy
- No Forward:Cannot forward messages
- No Share:Cannot copy/export content
- No Quote:Cannot quote messages
- Hide IP:Calls route through servers
Blocked Contacts
- View all blocked contacts in Settings
- Unblock when needed
- Block prevents messages and calls
Two-Step Verification
- Add a PIN to your account
- Protects against SIM swapping
- Set in Settings >Account >Two-step verification
FAQ
Who can see my profile photo?
Everyone, My Contacts, or Nobody. Set in Settings >Privacy >Profile Photo.
How do I silence unknown callers?
Settings >Privacy >Silence Unknown Callers. Turn it on.
What is Advanced Chat Privacy?
Prevents forwarding, sharing, quoting, and hides your IP address in calls.