WhatsApp is where many of us keep our most personal conversations — family chats, work groups, photos and voice notes. That also makes it a major target for scammers. Account takeovers usually happen not through sophisticated hacking, but by tricking people into sharing a verification code. These settings help you secure your WhatsApp account in about ten minutes.
Tested by Ayzaz Khan: I followed the steps in this guide on my iPhone 14 Pro Max. Menu names can differ slightly on Android phones, and they worked as described. Last checked: September 2026.
Follow these 12 steps to lock down your WhatsApp account and privacy. Menu names below are for recent versions of WhatsApp; if something looks different, update the app first.
Protect Your Account
1. Turn On Two-Step Verification
This is the single most important setting. It adds a 6-digit PIN that’s required when your number is registered on a new phone — so even if someone gets your SMS code, they can’t take over your account.
Go to Settings → Account → Two-step verification → Turn on, create a PIN you’ll remember, and add an email address for recovery.
2. Never Share Your 6-Digit Verification Code
WhatsApp will never ask you for this code by message or call. If a “friend,” “WhatsApp Support” or anyone else asks you to forward a code you received, it’s a scam. Sharing it lets them register your account on their phone. Learn more warning signs in our guide on how to spot phishing messages.
3. Set Up a Passkey
If available on your phone, a passkey lets you verify your account with your fingerprint, face or screen lock instead of an SMS code. Look for Settings → Account → Passkeys.
4. Check Linked Devices Regularly
WhatsApp Web and desktop apps can stay connected to your account. Go to Settings → Linked devices and log out of any computer or browser you don’t recognize or no longer use.
5. Lock the App
Add a fingerprint or face lock so nobody can open WhatsApp on your unlocked phone. On Android, look under Settings → Privacy → App lock; on iPhone, Settings → Privacy → Screen lock. You can also lock individual sensitive chats with Chat lock by opening the chat’s info page.
Protect Your Privacy
6. Control Who Sees Your Personal Info
Go to Settings → Privacy and choose who can see your Last seen and online, Profile photo, About and Status. Setting these to My contacts keeps strangers from seeing them.
7. Stop Strangers Adding You to Groups
Scam and spam groups are common. Under Settings → Privacy → Groups, choose My contacts or My contacts except… so random numbers can’t add you.
8. Silence Unknown Callers
Calls from unknown numbers can be scam attempts. Turn on Settings → Privacy → Calls → Silence unknown callers. Their calls won’t ring, but they’ll still appear in your call list.
9. Use Disappearing Messages for Sensitive Chats
For conversations you don’t want saved forever, turn on disappearing messages in a chat’s info page, or set a default timer under Settings → Privacy → Default message timer.
Protect Your Data
10. Encrypt Your Chat Backup
Your messages are end-to-end encrypted in transit, but your cloud backup should be protected too. Go to Settings → Chats → Chat backup → End-to-end encrypted backup and set a password or 64-digit key. Store it safely — without it, you can’t restore your backup. See our Android backup guide for the full backup process.
11. Turn On Security Notifications
Under Settings → Account → Security notifications, turn on alerts for when a contact’s security code changes. This usually just means they reinstalled WhatsApp or got a new phone, but it’s good to be aware.
12. Run the Privacy Checkup
WhatsApp includes a guided Privacy checkup in Settings → Privacy. It walks you through the most important settings in a few minutes.
What to Do If Your WhatsApp Is Hacked
- Open WhatsApp and re-register with your phone number. Enter the SMS code you receive — this logs the other person out.
- If asked for a two-step verification PIN you didn’t set, the attacker may have set it. You may need to wait for the waiting period WhatsApp shows before you can register again without the PIN.
- Tell your contacts through another channel that your account was compromised, so they ignore any requests for money or codes.
- Contact WhatsApp Support through Settings → Help.
Troubleshooting: Common Problems and Fixes
You are not receiving the 6-digit SMS code
Check that your number is entered with the correct country code, wait for the timer to finish, then choose Call me instead of SMS. Avoid requesting codes over and over: WhatsApp adds longer waiting periods after repeated attempts.
You forgot your two-step verification PIN
Tap Forgot PIN? on the verification screen. If you added an email address when you set up two-step verification, WhatsApp sends a reset link there. Without an email, you have to wait seven days before you can re-verify without the PIN, which is why adding a recovery email is worth doing today.
Your encrypted backup won’t restore
End-to-end encrypted backups can only be restored with the password or 64-digit key you created. WhatsApp cannot recover it for you. Also confirm you are using the same phone number and the same Google account (Android) or Apple ID (iPhone) that made the backup.
App lock or fingerprint option is missing
WhatsApp’s app lock relies on your phone’s own security. Set up a screen lock and fingerprint or face unlock in the phone’s settings first, then return to WhatsApp privacy settings and the option will appear.
What We Found When Testing
We applied all of these settings to our own WhatsApp account on our iPhone 14 Pro Max. Turning on two-step verification and reviewing Linked Devices took only a few minutes. Menu names can differ slightly on Android phones, but the same settings are available.
WhatsApp Security: Common Questions
Can someone read my WhatsApp messages?
Messages are end-to-end encrypted, so WhatsApp and outsiders can’t read them in transit. The main risks are someone accessing your unlocked phone, a linked device you forgot about, or an unencrypted backup.
Should I use WhatsApp on a shared computer?
Avoid it. If you must, log out from Linked devices on your phone when you’re done.
Sources and further reading: WhatsApp Help Center: About two-step verification; WhatsApp Help Center: Account security tips.
Keeping Your WhatsApp Account Locked Down
If you do only two things today, turn on two-step verification and never share your verification code. Then spend five minutes on the privacy settings above, and your account will be far safer than most. Take a few minutes today to secure your WhatsApp account and protect your chats.
