The “everyone” setting is a privacy option available in WhatsApp groups that allows users to control who can add them to groups. When enabled, it means only existing contacts or group admins can add you to a new group. This prevents strangers from adding you to unwanted chats.
What does the everyone setting do?
The everyone setting has two options in WhatsApp:
- Everyone – Any WhatsApp user can add you to groups, even if they’re not in your contacts
- My Contacts Except… – Only users you have in your contacts can add you to groups, with exceptions you can set
Having it set to Everyone means anyone on WhatsApp can add your number to a group without your approval. This could lead to you getting added to unwanted chats with strangers.
Setting it to My Contacts Except limits group invites only to people in your address book. You can also selectively choose contacts you don’t want adding you to groups. This gives you more control over who can pull you into a chat.
How to change the everyone setting
You can change who can add you to groups by following these steps:
- Open WhatsApp and tap the More options (3 dot) menu
- Go to Settings > Account > Privacy
- Tap Groups
- Change the setting from Everyone to My Contacts Except by toggling the switch
Once enabled, you can tap on My Contacts Except to manage exceptions. This will show your contacts list. Tap on any contact to toggle blocking them from adding you to groups.
Groups with everyone allowed
Any WhatsApp group with its privacy set to everyone allows any member to add new people:
- When creating a group, the admin can set it to everyone
- Existing groups can change settings to everyone at any time
- Users added won’t need to approve – they get added immediately
Groups with everyone enabled are public, meaning anyone on WhatsApp can join. This makes them risky, since strangers can enter without permission.
Groups limited to contacts
Groups with privacy set to contacts only have these characteristics:
- Only members who are in your contacts can add you
- You’ll get a private invite notification before being added
- You’ll need to approve the invite to join the group
This makes these groups more private, restricting add ability to your existing contacts. It also gives you control through the join invite approval process.
Should I keep everyone enabled?
Here are some pros and cons of keeping the everyone setting on:
Pros
- Friends you’ve lost contact with can still add you to groups
- Makes it easy to join groups for networking or shared interests
- Admins don’t need your number to add you to public groups
Cons
- Can get added to unwanted chats with strangers
- No control over which groups you join
- Higher risk of spam messages or privacy violations
Overall, most users are better off disabling everyone and limiting group adds to contacts only. This balances safety and privacy without sacrificing much convenience.
What happens if everyone disabled and you get added?
If someone tries adding you when everyone disabled, here’s what happens:
- Non-contacts get blocked immediately when trying to add you
- For contacts, it will send them an automated message saying you must approve group invites first
- You won’t get notification of their add attempt
- They can request you directly to join groups until you approve their contact
So in summary, disabling everyone means you won’t get pulled into unwanted group without approval. It also signals to your contacts that you prefer to vet group adds.
Can I get added to groups without my number?
Most WhatsApp groups require your phone number to add you as a participant. However, there are some rare exceptions where it’s possible without your number:
- If you are in saved contacts under a name and not number
- Someone screenshots your QR code and scans to add you
- Using a group invite link that pulls your profile data
In practice though, these loopholes are very seldom used and get closed by WhatsApp over time. So it’s safe to assume in nearly all cases that your number is needed to get added to an unknown group.
Can I get added using my email instead?
Currently there is no ability to add someone directly to a WhatsApp group using their email address. The app requires a valid mobile phone number to send group invites.
Someday email-based adds may become a feature, which could make managing unwanted adds more complicated. But for now it’s not something users need to worry about within WhatsApp’s existing capabilities.
Can I get removed from a group without my consent?
Once you’ve joined a WhatsApp group, the admins have the ability to remove you at any time without consent. When removed:
- You’ll get a notification saying you were removed
- You won’t be able to send or receive any further messages in the group
- Your number will be fully deleted from the group’s participants
There is no way to block group admins from removing you. As soon as you’ve joined a chat, they have full privileges to kick you out.
Can I get re-added after getting removed?
If you get removed from a WhatsApp group, the admin or any member can add you back in unless:
- You’ve blocked the group members from being able to add you
- Your number was banned from the group after getting removed
So in most cases, you can get pulled back into a chat you were kicked out of previously. To prevent this, you must either block contacts or ask the admin to ban your number.
What happens when I leave a group?
Here’s what happens when you voluntarily choose to exit a WhatsApp group:
- You’ll get a confirmation message asking if you want to leave
- Other members will get a notification you left the group
- You won’t receive any further messages from the group
- Your name and number will be deleted from the participant list
However, unlike getting removed by an admin, leaving doesn’t prevent you from getting re-added. Anyone in the chat can still pull you back in unless you block them.
Can I mute notifications from groups?
WhatsApp lets you mute group notifications a few different ways:
- Mute all notifications – Mutes all notifications for 8 hours, 1 week, or 1 year
- Custom notifications – Choose to mute all except mentions, messages that mention you, etc.
- Mute media – Mute photos, videos, GIFs, or audio messages
You can access these muting options from the group settings. Muting is helpful if you don’t want to leave a group entirely but need to control disruptive notifications.
Can I access groups after deleting WhatsApp?
If you delete your WhatsApp account entirely, you get removed from all associated groups. You won’t have access to any group messages again unless you rejoin under your same number.
However, if you simply uninstall the app without deleting your account, your group memberships remain intact. You’ll regain access to all previous chats when reinstalling WhatsApp and registering your number.
Can I get added to groups I left previously?
Even if you voluntarily leave a WhatsApp group, any member can add you back unless:
- An admin specifically banned you
- You’ve blocked the members from adding you
So simply exiting a chat doesn’t prevent you from getting pulled back in. You need to take further steps to stop repeat adds from annoying group members.
Do all groups allow members to add people?
WhatsApp has two group type options that control adding abilities:
- Open – All members can add new participants
- Closed – Only admins can add new members
So in closed groups, even if you have members in your contacts, they can’t add you or anyone else without admin approval. This restricts group access more tightly.
Can I get added to groups I was banned from?
If a WhatsApp group bans you, it’s no longer possible for anyone to add you back to that specific chat. When banned:
- You can’t rejoin, even if an admin wants you back
- Attempts to add you simply won’t go through
- The ban is based on your number, not your account or device
Banning provides the strongest protection against repeat group adds. Neither members nor admins can override a ban to pull you back in.
What if my number changes – can I get added again?
Changing your phone number resets any restrictions you had in place for your old number. If you get a new number:
- You’ll appear as a new contact to your WhatsApp connections
- Any users or groups you blocked can now add your new number
- Bans tied to your old number no longer apply
So you’ll essentially have to start over managing group privacy settings when you switch numbers. Any blocks or bans don’t carry over.
Conclusion
The WhatsApp everyone setting is an important privacy tool that gives you control over group adds. Keeping it enabled means anyone can add you, while disabling limits adds to your approved contacts only.
Most users gain peace of mind by disabling everyone and selectively blocking contacts. This prevents unwanted group spam while still allowing desired additions. Just remember additions are tied to your number – so changing it resets all previous preferences.
With some prudent management of your settings, you can find the right balance between group privacy and convenience on WhatsApp.
| Setting | Who Can Add You | Join Approval Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone | All WhatsApp users | No |
| My Contacts Except | Selected contacts | Yes |
This summarizes the key differences in who can add you and whether join approval is required between the two everyone setting options.
With the details covered in this guide, you should now understand how the WhatsApp everyone setting works. You can configure it to balance your privacy, convenience and communication preferences.