What is WhatsApp message preview?
WhatsApp message preview refers to the snippet of a new message that shows in the notification bar when you receive a new WhatsApp message. By default, when a new WhatsApp message comes in, a preview of the message (the sender’s name and a few words of the message text) will display in the notification bar at the top of your iPhone’s screen. This allows you to quickly glance at the notification to see who the message is from and part of what it says without having to open the WhatsApp app.
Why would you want to turn off message preview?
There are a few reasons why you may want to turn off the WhatsApp message preview in the notification bar:
Privacy
The message preview shows part of the content of the message in the notification bar. If your iPhone is unlocked and someone else glimpses your screen, they could inadvertently see part of a private message. Turning off the preview prevents any part of the message content from displaying on the lock screen or notification bar.
Reduce distractions
The message preview can be distracting if you are trying to focus on another task. Even though you don’t open the message, just seeing the preview content can disrupt your concentration. Turning off the preview can help avoid this distraction.
Avoid misunderstandings
Since the message preview only shows a small part of the message, it can sometimes be misleading or easily misinterpreted out of context. You may assume a message means one thing based on the preview, when the full message content reveals something entirely different. Turning off the preview avoids potential mix-ups like this.
How to turn off WhatsApp message preview on iPhone
Turning off the WhatsApp message preview in the notification bar is easy to do right from the WhatsApp settings menu:
Step 1: Open WhatsApp Settings
Open the WhatsApp app on your iPhone.
Tap on the Settings tab in the bottom right (it looks like a gear icon).
Step 2: Tap Notifications
In Settings, tap on Notifications.
Step 3: Tap Show Preview
Under the “MESSAGES” heading in Notifications, find and tap on Show Preview.
Step 4: Toggle off Show Preview
On the Show Preview screen, tap on the toggle switch next to Show Preview to turn it to the off/white position.
This disables message previews in your iPhone’s notification bar for new WhatsApp messages.
Customizing other notification settings
While you’re in the Notifications settings, you can also customize other notification behaviors for WhatsApp on your iPhone:
Notification sound
Tap Sound to change the notification sound for new WhatsApp messages. You can choose from default sounds or pick a song from your music library.
Notification badges
Tap Badge App Icon to toggle on/off the badges that appear on the WhatsApp app icon when you have unread messages.
Notification pop-ups
Tap Notifications to choose whether to allow WhatsApp notifications to pop up on your iPhone’s locked screen, Notification Center, or both.
Vibration
Tap Vibrate to toggle on/off vibration when receiving WhatsApp notifications.
Light
Tap Light to toggle on/off the LED light flash alert for new WhatsApp notifications.
Alerts
Under the Alerts heading, customize notifications for different types of WhatsApp messages and group notifications.
Other ways to increase WhatsApp privacy
In addition to turning off message previews, there are some other steps you can take to increase privacy and security in WhatsApp:
Use fingerprint lock
Enable Touch ID or Face ID lock for WhatsApp so only your fingerprint or face can open the app. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy > Screen Lock and turn on Require Face ID or Require Touch ID.
Turn off read receipts
To stop sending read receipts for messages you receive, go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy and turn off Read Receipts.
Disable last seen
To stop displaying your last seen time to non-contacts, go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy and tap on Last Seen to change the setting to “My Contacts Except…”.
Hide blue ticks
To prevent the blue tick marks from showing when recipients read your messages, open any chat, tap on the contact’s name, and turn off Read Receipts.
Enable disappearing messages
You can make new WhatsApp chats disappear by default after a set time period. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy > Default Message Timer to enable.
Conclusion
Turning off the message preview in WhatsApp notifications is an easy way to increase privacy and reduce distractions on your iPhone. Simply open WhatsApp Settings, go to Notifications, tap Show Preview, and toggle the setting off. You can also customize other notification behaviors while in the Notifications settings. For additional ways to enhance WhatsApp security, enable Touch ID/Face ID lock, turn off read receipts and last seen display, disable blue ticks, and turn on disappearing messages. With these steps, you can confidently use WhatsApp knowing your conversations stay private.
Additional Information
Benefits of Disabling WhatsApp Message Previews
Here are some additional benefits of disabling message previews in WhatsApp:
- Prevents embarrassing mix-ups if someone else briefly uses your phone and sees a preview of messages that were meant to be private.
- Stops people around you from inadvertently reading potentially sensitive information that pops up on your phone’s lock screen.
- Forces you to deliberately open the WhatsApp app to view new messages, allowing you to focus on work/tasks without the distraction of previews popping up.
- Encourages more intentional smartphone usage rather than constantly checking notifications out of habit.
- Saves battery life since your screen won’t need to wake/light up every time a new WhatsApp message arrives.
- Provides peace of mind knowing your messages aren’t visible until you intentionally view them within the WhatsApp app.
Overall, disabling this one setting gives you more control over your notifications and privacy. It’s a simple change that can make a big difference!
Customizing Notifications by WhatsApp Contact
In the WhatsApp notifications settings, you can also customize notifications on a conversation-by-conversation basis:
- Open the WhatsApp conversation with the contact you want to customize.
- Tap the contact’s name at the top of the chat screen.
- Scroll down and tap Custom Notifications.
- Here you can toggle settings like message previews, notifications, and vibrations on or off specifically for this contact.
This is useful if you want to disable previews for sensitive conversations, while keeping them enabled for other chats. You can fine-tune notifications from specific people without changing settings WhatsApp-wide.
Using Do Not Disturb with WhatsApp
Another option is using iPhone’s Do Not Disturb feature:
- Go to iPhone Settings > Do Not Disturb.
- Schedule when you want Do Not Disturb enabled (like overnight when sleeping).
- Optional: Under Allow Calls From, choose if you want to allow calls from Everyone, No One, Favorites, or All Contacts during Do Not Disturb.
With Do Not Disturb on, you won’t get any WhatsApp notification sounds/vibrations during the scheduled time. However, message previews will still show briefly on your lock screen and notification bar when new messages arrive. So disabling previews specifically in WhatsApp provides more complete control over your notifications. But using Do Not Disturb can be an easy way to mute WhatsApp notifications during certain times of day.
WhatsApp Privacy Concerns
While WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for messages, there are some privacy concerns to be aware of:
Metadata Collection
WhatsApp collects certain metadata like phone numbers in your address book, profile names, status messages, etc. This data can reveal information about your contacts and habits.
Backups Not End-to-End Encrypted
WhatsApp backups on iCloud are not protected by end-to-end encryption. So if you back up your chats, Apple has the encryption keys and could access message data.
App Tracking
The WhatsApp app may engage in various forms of tracking your app usage and online activities for advertising purposes. This can compromise privacy.
Government Access
WhatsApp cooperates with law enforcement and government data requests. So your WhatsApp data could be accessed by authorities with legal warrants.
Overall it’s a good idea to minimize sensitive personal information shared via WhatsApp when possible. And use app-provided privacy settings like disabling previews.
WhatsApp Alternatives
If you’re looking for alternative messaging apps that prioritize privacy and security, here are some top options:
| App | Encryption | Privacy Features |
|---|---|---|
| Signal | End-to-End | Minimal metadata collection |
| Telegram | End-to-End (Secret Chats) | Self-destructing messages |
| Wire | End-to-End | Anonymous messaging |
| Threema | End-to-End | Identity verification to avoid spam |
These apps provide enhanced security, anonymity, and privacy compared to WhatsApp. So if you’re looking for an even more private messaging experience, try one of these WhatsApp alternatives.
WhatsApp Business Profile Tips
Here are some tips for configuring your WhatsApp Business profile to maximize privacy:
- Don’t include sensitive personal info like address or birthdate in your business profile.
- Disable read receipts for added privacy.
- Turn off messaging receipts if you don’t want contacts to see if/when you read their messages.
- Set messages to disappear 24 hours after being read for ephemeral chatting.
- Create automatic away/greeting messages so contacts don’t know if you’ve read their messages.
- Use a dedicated business number rather than your personal mobile number.
Keeping your business profile minimal and disabling read receipts prevents contacts from accessing too much info about you. Automated messaging also maintains privacy.
WhatsApp Privacy Issues
Here are a few other notable privacy issues faced by WhatsApp users:
Account Bans
Accounts can be suddenly banned by WhatsApp, sometimes without explanation, losing access to all conversations. This underscores the risk of relying on a single service.
Data Sharing with Facebook
User data from WhatsApp is shared with parent company Facebook for advertising and marketing purposes, although messages are not.
Real-Time Location Sharing
WhatsApp’s live location sharing feature can potentially expose user locations unintentionally if activated accidentally or sent to untrusted parties.
Security Vulnerabilities
Like all software, WhatsApp has been affected by security bugs and vulnerabilities that potentially exposed user information until patched.
Overall, while WhatsApp offers end-to-end encrypted messaging, users have limited control over their privacy versus fully open source apps. Caution is warranted when sharing private data.
WhatsApp Privacy Settings
Here is a summary of key WhatsApp privacy settings available:
- Screen Lock – Require Face/Touch ID to open WhatsApp
- Two-Step Verification – Add extra login security with a PIN
- Change Number – Switch your associated account number
- Read Receipts – Disable read receipts sent to others
- Last Seen – Hide your last seen time from non-contacts
- Profile Photo – Choose who can see your profile picture
- About – Select who can view your About status message
- Groups – Configure who can add you to groups
- Live Location – Disable real-time location sharing
Navigating to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy allows you to access these key settings to lock down your privacy. Enable those that align with your comfort level.
Restoring Deleted WhatsApp Messages
If you recently deleted WhatsApp messages you now want to restore, here are a few options:
Restore from iCloud Backup
If you have iCloud backups enabled, you may be able to restore deleted messages from a previous backup:
- Go to iPhone Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups.
- Tap to open your device backup.
- Tap Restore to restore your device data and WhatsApp messages from this backup.
However, this will also revert your entire device to the state it was in at the time of the backup.
Export Chat History
Before deleting a chat, you can export the conversation history to email or another app, allowing you to retain a record of the messages. However, you cannot import the chat back into WhatsApp after deletion.
Third-Party Tools
Some third-party apps claim they can recover deleted WhatsApp messages, but effectiveness varies across tools. You’ll need to research reputable options and use caution with any third-party software.
Unfortunately once you delete WhatsApp messages and don’t have a stored backup, the data is generally irretrievable. Your best bet is regularly backing up chats you want to keep.
Conclusion
Disabling WhatsApp message previews is an easy way to take control over your privacy. Go to Settings > Notifications > Show Preview and toggle off. You’ll no longer see potentially sensitive snippets of messages in notifications. For optimal privacy, also enable Face/Touch ID, disable read receipts/last seen, limit data in your profile, and be cautious when location sharing. Compare privacy-focused WhatsApp alternatives like Signal as well. With a few adjustments, you can confidently use WhatsApp while protecting your chats from prying eyes.