The navigation bar in Whatsapp allows users to easily switch between different sections of the app like calls, chats, status and more. The navigation bar can be customized to suit user preferences.
Showing or Hiding the Navigation Bar
By default, the navigation bar is shown at the bottom of the Whatsapp screen on Android and iOS devices. However, users can choose to hide the navigation bar if they want to free up more screen space for viewing chats and media.
On Android devices, open Whatsapp and tap on the 3 dot menu in the top right. Go to Settings > Chats and toggle off ‘Show Bottom Nav Bar’. This will immediately hide the navigation bar.
On iOS, open Whatsapp and go to Settings. Tap on ‘Bottom Nav Bar’ and select ‘Hide Bottom Nav Bar’. This will hide the navigation bar.
To re-enable the navigation bar, simply follow the same steps and toggle on ‘Show Bottom Nav Bar’ on Android or select ‘Show Bottom Nav Bar’ on iOS.
Changing Position of Navigation Bar
By default, the Whatsapp navigation bar is shown at the bottom of the screen. However, users can choose to position it at the top instead.
On Android, open Whatsapp Settings > Chats. Tap on ‘Navigation bar position’ and select ‘Top’ to move the navigation bar to the top of the screen. Selecting ‘Bottom’ will move it back down.
On iOS devices, there is no setting to change the position of the navigation bar. It remains fixed at the bottom.
Re-ordering Navigation Bar Tabs
The Whatsapp navigation bar contains tabs for Camera, Calls, Chats, Status and Calls by default. The order of these tabs can be customized as per user preferences.
On Android, tap and hold on any tab in the navigation bar. This will make all tabs enter edit mode. Simply drag and drop the tabs to re-arrange them in whichever order you prefer.
On iOS, go to Settings > Bottom Nav Bar and tap ‘Edit’. You can now drag and drop the tabs to customize their order.
Adding and Removing Tabs
In addition to re-ordering, users can also add or remove tabs from the Whatsapp navigation bar.
On Android devices, tap and hold any tab while in edit mode to show a list of all available tabs. Tap on the tabs you want to add to the navigation bar or deselect the ones you want to remove.
On iOS, tap ‘Edit’ and then use the + and – buttons to add or remove tabs from the navigation bar.
Do note that Camera and Chats are mandatory tabs that cannot be removed from the navigation bar.
Setting Tab Badges
Whatsapp shows a badge on tabs like Calls and Chats to indicate unread notifications. Users can disable these tab badges if they find them distracting.
On Android, long press a tab and tap the ‘disable badge’ icon to stop badge notifications from that tab.
On iOS, go to Settings > Notifications > Show Preview. Toggle off badges for specific tabs like Calls and Chats.
This will stop badge notifications from appearing on those tabs. The badge dots indicate the number of unread notifications.
Using Landscape Orientation
By default, Whatsapp’s user interface is optimized for portrait orientation. However, landscape mode can be enabled for a more desktop-like experience.
On Android, open Whatsapp Settings > Chats and toggle on ‘Landscape orientation’. The app will now switch to landscape when the phone is rotated horizontally.
On iOS, landscape orientation is not supported and Whatsapp remains in portrait mode.
Dark Mode
Whatsapp has a dedicated dark mode that can be enabled for comfortable night-time messaging. The navigation bar colors will change to suit the selected theme.
On Android and iOS, go to Whatsapp Settings > Chats > Theme and select ‘Dark’ to enable dark mode. Choose ‘Light’ to revert back.
Users can also set Whatsapp to automatically enable dark mode at night time or based on system settings.
Customizing Chat Wallpaper
Along with the navigation bar, users can also change the chat wallpaper in Whatsapp for a more personalized look.
On Android, tap on any chat > tap wallpaper > select from defaults or gallery. The new wallpaper will be applied to all chats.
On iOS, open Whatsapp Settings > Chats > Chat Wallpaper and select a new wallpaper. This will be applied across all chats.
Using a vibrant chat wallpaper can make the navigation bar and UI elements stand out more.
Disabling Notification Previews
By default, Whatsapp shows a preview of new messages on the notification bar and lock screen. The message content can be hidden for privacy.
On Android, open Whatsapp > tap 3 dot menu > Settings > Notifications > disable ‘Show Preview’. Only generic notifications will now be shown.
On iOS, go to Settings > Notifications > Show Preview and disable preview for Whatsapp. This prevents message content from appearing.
Media Visibility in Gallery
Whatsapp media like photos and videos are saved to the phone’s gallery by default. They can be hidden for privacy.
On Android, open Whatsapp > tap 3 dot menu > Settings > Chats > Media Visibility. Toggle off ‘Show Media in Gallery’ to hide all Whatsapp media.
On iOS, go to Settings > Chats > Save to Camera Roll and toggle it off. New media will not be saved to the camera roll.
Profile Photo and About
The Whatsapp profile photo and about info is visible to all contacts by default. Users can change the visibility settings for more privacy.
On Android and iOS, open Whatsapp Settings > Account > Privacy. Change ‘Profile Photo’ and ‘About’ visibility to ‘My Contacts’, ‘Nobody’ or specific contacts.
Read Receipts
Read receipts show when a recipient has read your message. They can be disabled for more privacy.
On Android and iOS, open Whatsapp Settings > Account > Privacy and disable ‘Read Receipts’.
You can also disable read receipts for specific contacts only.
Typing Indicators
Typing indicators show when someone is typing a message to you. This can also be disabled.
On Android and iOS, go to Whatsapp Settings > Account > Privacy. Disable ‘Show Typing Indicators’ to stop them from being shown.
You have full control over your privacy settings in Whatsapp. Customize them as per your preferences.