Here are a few quick ways to temporarily disable WhatsApp on your iPhone:
Turn on Airplane Mode
The easiest way is to turn on Airplane Mode on your iPhone. Airplane Mode disconnects your phone from all networks and disables all wireless connections. This will prevent WhatsApp from sending or receiving any messages until you turn Airplane Mode off again.
Steps to turn on Airplane Mode:
- Open Control Center on your iPhone. You can do this by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen on iPhone X or later models, or swiping up from the bottom of the screen on iPhone 8 or earlier models.
- Tap on the Airplane Mode icon. It looks like an airplane.
- The Airplane Mode icon will turn orange to indicate it is now enabled. This will disable all wireless connections on your phone.
Disable Notifications for WhatsApp
Another way is to disable notifications for WhatsApp. This will stop notification banners, sounds, and vibrations from the app but still allow it to send and receive messages in the background.
Steps to disable WhatsApp notifications:
- Go to Settings > Notifications.
- Scroll down and select WhatsApp.
- Toggle off Allow Notifications.
With notifications disabled, WhatsApp will no longer disturb you but will continue running silently in the background.
Disable Background App Refresh
Disabling Background App Refresh for WhatsApp will prevent the app from updating content in the background when you are not actively using it. This can improve battery life and temporarily “disable” WhatsApp.
Steps to disable Background App Refresh:
- Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
- Toggle the switch off for WhatsApp.
With Background App Refresh off, WhatsApp will only refresh content when you open the app. New messages will not come through until you manually refresh WhatsApp.
Sign Out of WhatsApp
Signing out of WhatsApp will disable access to your account and conversations. You can always sign back in later when you want to use WhatsApp again.
Steps to sign out of WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp and tap Settings.
- Tap Account > Log Out.
This will sign you out of WhatsApp on your iPhone. You’ll have to enter your phone number and confirmation code again next time you want to use WhatsApp.
Turn Off WhatsApp Using Screen Time
You can use Screen Time on your iPhone to limit the amount of time you can use WhatsApp each day or block it entirely for set periods.
Steps to limit WhatsApp with Screen Time:
- Go to Settings > Screen Time.
- Tap App Limits.
- Select WhatsApp.
- Set a time limit or downtime to disable WhatsApp when needed.
Screen Time gives you granular control to disable WhatsApp when you need a break from messaging.
Delete the WhatsApp App
You can delete the WhatsApp app from your iPhone to disable it completely. Your account and conversations will still be there if you redownload it later.
Steps to delete WhatsApp:
- Hold your finger down on the WhatsApp icon until the icons start to wiggle.
- Tap the X icon on the WhatsApp icon to delete the app.
- Tap Delete to confirm.
Deleting WhatsApp will remove the app and all its data from your iPhone storage. Your account will remain intact on WhatsApp’s servers if you reinstall it.
Turn Off Cellular Data for WhatsApp
You can disable cellular data for WhatsApp to prevent it from using mobile data in the background. This will disable most WhatsApp functions when you are not on Wi-Fi.
Steps to turn off cellular data:
- Go to Settings > Cellular.
- Scroll down and tap on WhatsApp.
- Toggle off Cellular Data.
With cellular data off, WhatsApp can only use Wi-Fi and will be disabled when you are out and not connected to Wi-Fi.
Disable WhatsApp Web/Desktop
If you have WhatsApp Web or Desktop enabled, messages can still come through on those platforms when your phone is disabled. Make sure to logout of all linked devices.
Steps to disable linked sessions:
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Linked Devices.
- Tap Log Out on all active sessions.
This will disable WhatsApp on any linked laptops, computers or browsers. Combined with the phone disabling steps above, this will fully disable WhatsApp temporarily.
Conclusion
Temporarily disabling WhatsApp on your iPhone is easy to do in a few quick steps. The options include using Airplane Mode, disabling notifications, restrict app usage with Screen Time, deleting the app, and turning off background activity and cellular data. Make sure to also logout of linked devices to fully disable WhatsApp across all platforms when needed.