This wikiHow teaches you how to set up and use WhatsApp on your iPhone or Android smartphone. WhatsApp is a free messaging app that allows you to send messages or make calls to other WhatsApp users when your device is connected to a WiFi or cellular data network.
Step
Part 1 of 8: Setting up WhatsApp
Step 1. Install Whatsapp
You can download it for free through your device's app store.
Step 2. Open WhatsApp
Touch the button “ OPEN ” in the device's app store window or tap the green and white WhatsApp app icon.
Step 3. Touch OK when prompted
After that, WhatsApp can access the device's contact list.
- You may need to allow WhatsApp to send notifications by selecting “ Allow ”.
- On the Android device, select “ ALLOW ”.
Step 4. Touch Agree & Continue
This link is at the bottom of the screen.
On the Android device, select “ AGREE AND CONTINUE ”.
Step 5. Enter your phone number
Type a number into the text field that appears in the center of the page.
Step 6. Touch Done
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
On Android devices, touch the option “ NEXT ” at the bottom of the screen.
Step 7. Touch OK when prompted
After that, WhatsApp will send a short message containing a verification code.
Step 8. Open the device's messaging app
This application is a program used to send and receive short messages.
Step 9. Touch the short message from WhatsApp
This message displays the text " Your WhatsApp code is [# ##-###]. You can also tap on this link to verify your phone: " followed by a link.
Step 10. Enter the verification code in the field provided
As long as you don't type it wrong, your phone's identity will be confirmed and you'll be directed to the account creation page.
Step 11. Enter a name and photo
Although optional, adding a photo helps you confirm your identity to other contacts.
- If you have downloaded WhatsApp before, you will first get the option to restore chat history.
- You can also touch the option “ Use Facebook Info ” to use the name and photo of the Facebook account.
Step 12. Touch Done to continue
Now you are ready to send messages using WhatsApp.
Part 2 of 8: Sending Chat
Step 1. Touch Chats
This tab is at the bottom of the screen.
On Android devices, select the tab “ CHATS ” at the top of the screen.
Step 2. Touch the “New Chat” icon
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
On Android devices, tap the white speech bubble icon on a green background in the lower-right corner of the screen
Step 3. Select a contact
Touch the name of the contact you want to chat with. After that, a chat window with the relevant contact will be displayed.
Step 4. Touch the chat box
This box is at the bottom of the screen.
Step 5. Enter the message
Type the message you want to send.
You can use your phone's built-in emoji keyboard to insert emojis into chats
Step 6. Send the message
Touch the "Send" icon
to the right of the chat box. After that, a message will be displayed on the right side of the chat window.
Part 3 of 8: Adding Files and Formats to Chats
Step 1. Make sure the chat window is displayed
If you haven't chatted with anyone yet, open or create a chat window before continuing.
Step 2. Send the photo to the chat
If you want to take or select a photo to send to the chat, follow these steps:
- Touch the camera icon on the right side of the text field.
- Touch " OK " or " ALLOW ” two or three times when asked.
- Select or take a photo.
- Add a caption by entering text in the " Add a caption… " column if necessary.
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Touch the "Send" icon
Android7send
Step 3. Touch the button
It's in the lower-left corner of the screen. A pop-up menu will appear after that.
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On the Android device, touch the icon
Android7paperclip which is on the right side of the chat box.
Step 4. Select the type of file you want to send
Touch one of the following options, depending on the content you want to send to the chat:
- ” Documents ” - Allows you to select documents (eg PDF files) from your phone's storage space.
- “ Location ” - Allows you to submit a map of the current location.
- “ Contact ” - Allows you to submit contact information.
- “ Audio ” (Android devices only) - Allows you to send audio clips.
Step 5. Submit documents, contact information, or location
The submission process will depend on the content you selected in the last step:
- “Document” - Open the directory where you want to send the document, select the document, and touch the button “ Send ”.
- “Location” - Give permission to the mobile access request, then touch the option “ Send Your Current Location ” to send the map.
- “Contact” - Select the contact entry, confirm the details shown, and touch the “button Send ”.
- “Audio” - Select the audio file you want to send, then touch the “button OK ”.
Step 6. Change the message text format
You can use different text markers to apply formatting to messages (eg bold text):
- Bold text - Place an asterisk on both sides of the text you want to bold (eg *hello* becomes Hello).
- Italic text - Place an underscore on both sides of the text you want italicized (eg _bye_ to see you later).
- Strikethrough text - Place a tilde on either side of the text you want to strike out (eg ~I hate cheese~).
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Code font - Place three accent marks descending to the right on either side of the desired text (e.g. ```I am a robot``` becomes
I am a robot
- ).
Part 4 of 8: Making a Voice or Video Call
Step 1. Return to the "Chats" page
Touch the " Back " button to return to the page.
Step 2. Touch the “New Chat” icon
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
On Android devices, tap the white and green icon in the lower-right corner of the screen
Step 3. Select a contact
Touch the contact you want to call to open a chat window.
You cannot make voice or video calls with more than one person at the same time
Step 4. Touch the “Call” icon
It's the phone icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. After that, the contact in question will be contacted via WhatsApp.
Step 5. Switch to video calling
Once connected, you can switch to video calls by touching the video camera icon at the top of the screen.
You can also start a video call by touching the icon instead of the phone icon
Part 5 of 8: Adding Contacts
Step 1. Return to the "Chats" page
Touch the " Back " button to return to the page.
Step 2. Touch the “New Chat” icon
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
On Android devices, tap the white and green icon in the lower-right corner of the screen
Step 3. Touch New Contact
It's at the top of the page.
Step 4. Enter the first name of the contact
Tap the " First name " field, then type in the contact's first name.
- On Android devices, tap the " Name " field.
- You can also enter the contact's last name and company name, but you need to enter at least the contact's first name.
Step 5. Touch add phone
It's in the center of the screen.
On Android devices, touch the option “ Phone ”.
Step 6. Enter the contact number
Type in the number of the user you want to add as a contact.
This number is the phone number of the user who already has the WhatsApp application on his cellphone and registers his phone number
Step 7. Touch the Done button
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
On an Android device, touch the “ SAVE ” and skip the next step.
Step 8. Touch Done
It's in the top-left corner of the screen. The contact will be added to the WhatsApp contact list immediately.
Step 9. Invite friends to WhatsApp
If you want to add a friend who doesn't use WhatsApp yet, you can invite them to create a WhatsApp account by following these steps:
- Go to the "New Chat" page.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page, then select “ Invite Friends to WhatsApp ” (on Android devices, just touch “ Invite friends ”).
- Select the method of sending the invitation (e.g. " Message ” for sending by short message).
- Enter the friend's contact information.
- Send invitations.
Part 6 of 8: Creating a Chat Group
Step 1. Return to the "Chats" page
Touch the " Back " button to return to the page.
Step 2. Touch New Group
It's at the top of the "Chats" page. After that, a list of WhatsApp contacts will be displayed.
On an Android device, touch the “ ⋮ ” in the upper right corner of the screen first and select “ New group ” from the drop-down menu.
Step 3. Select the contacts you want to add to the group
Touch each contact you want to add to the chat group.
You can have a maximum of 256 people in a chat group
Step 4. Touch the Next button
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
On Android devices, touch the arrow pointing to the right in the lower-right corner of the screen
Step 5. Enter the group name
Type in the name you want to give the chat group.
- You can only enter a group name with a maximum of 25 characters.
- You can also upload group photos by touching the camera icon, selecting a photo type, and taking or selecting photos.
Step 6. Touch Create
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen. After that, a chat group will be created and opened.
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On the Android device, touch the icon
Android7done
Step 7. Send the message to the chat group as usual
Once the group chat is open, you can send messages, files, and emojis just like you would in a normal chat window.
Unfortunately, you can't make voice or video calls in group chats
Part 7 of 8: Creating WhatsApp Status
Step 1. Return to the "Chats" page
Touch the " Back " button to return to the page.
Step 2. Touch Status
It's in the lower-left corner of the screen.
On Android devices, touch the tab “ STATUS ” at the top of the screen.
Step 3. Touch the camera icon
This icon is to the right of the “ Status ” at the top of the page.
- If you want to create a text status (without an image or video), tap the pencil icon.
- On Android devices, the camera icon is in the lower-right corner of the screen.
Step 4. Create a state
Point your phone's camera at the object you want to capture, then touch the circular shutter button (" Capture ").
If you want to create a text status, type in the message you want to upload. You can also touch the paint palette icon to change the background color or touch the “ T ” to change the text font.
Step 5. Touch "Send" icon
It's in the lower-right corner of the screen.
You may be asked to confirm your selection. If so, touch the icon again “ Send ”.
Part 8 of 8: Using WhatsApp Camera
Step 1. Touch the Camera tab
This tab is at the bottom center of the screen. After that, the WhatsApp camera interface will be displayed.
On Android devices, the tab “ Camera ” is actually represented by the camera icon in the upper-left corner of the screen.
Step 2. Take a photo
Point your phone's camera at the object you want to capture, then touch the circular shutter button (" Capture ") at the bottom of the screen.
You can also select photos from your device's “Camera Roll” gallery or album
Step 3. Rotate the photo
Tap the box-shaped " Rotate " icon at the top of the screen, then tap the box and arrow icon in the lower left corner of the screen until the photo is rotated to the appropriate position. You can touch the button " Done ” to save changes.
Step 4. Add sticker on photo
Touch button
at the top of the screen, then select an emoji or sticker from the menu that appears.
After you add an emoji or sticker, you can touch and drag it around the screen to change its position on the photo
Step 5. Add text on photo
Touch the icon “ T ” in the upper right corner of the screen, select a text color from the vertical color bar on the right side of the screen, and type in the text you want to add.
Step 6. Draw an image on the photo
Touch the pencil icon in the upper right corner of the screen, select a brush color from the vertical color bar on the right side of the screen, then touch and drag your finger on the photo to draw.
Step 7. Touch the “Send” icon
It's in the lower-right corner of the screen.
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On the Android device, touch
Android7done
Step 8. Select the upload destination
You can send photos to a chat by touching the chat or user name in the " RECENT CHATS " section. You can also send it as a status by touching the option “ My Status ” at the top of the page.
Step 9. Touch Send
It's in the lower-right corner of the screen. After that, the photo will be uploaded.
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On the Android device, touch the icon
Android7send
Tips
- If the " Chats " page looks cluttered, try deleting old conversations.
- You can use broadcast lists or broadcasts to send messages to multiple contacts if you don't want to create a group chat.
Warning
- If you subscribe to a limited data plan, using WhatsApp may incur additional charges if your device is not connected to WiFi. Close WhatsApp when you are using mobile data to avoid additional mobile data charges.
- WhatsApp is not supported on tablets. However, Android device users can install WhatsApp on their tablet using an APK file.
