WhatsApp

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WhatsApp was the first mobile private messaging service to gain critical mass. Then, Meta (formerly Facebook) bought the platform. Now, 100 million people use WhatsApp each month, and it's easy to understand why. I really like WhatsApp's easy-to-use interface and fun features, but the app requires access to sensitive data on your phone to perform basic functions like chatting or making calls. Privacy-focused Signal doesn't have that kind of requirement, so it edges out WhatsApp to earn an Editors' Choice award for private messaging apps.

Can You Trust WhatsApp?

Trust is the foundation of any private messaging app, and WhatsApp does a lot to earn yours. For one thing, it's built using the tried-and-tested Signal Protocol to send and receive end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messages. That means only the sender and recipient can read WhatsApp messages. Not even the people at WhatsApp (and, by extension, Meta) can read your personal messages. Of course, that goes out the window if someone in the conversation screenshots your messages or a hacker takes over your account, but barring those scenarios, E2EE messaging is a safe and secure option for most people.

The problem with trusting WhatsApp isn't about the app's inherent security. Instead, I'm more concerned that WhatsApp is owned by Meta. For years, Meta has been plagued by customer data collection scandals. That said, WhatsApp appears to operate independently of Meta and even has a separate privacy policy.

WhatsApp goes to great lengths to explain Meta's insight into WhatsApp activities in the policy. There's even an FAQ devoted to the subject. According to WhatsApp, Meta cannot see your contacts or messages, but it can see your phone number, IP address, and any interactions with businesses on WhatsApp. That's a lot of identifying information, but it's typical of invasive social apps.

Remember, Meta (and WhatsApp) cannot control what corporate partners do with your data. To ensure that customers know when they are speaking with a business entity instead of a personal contact, WhatsApp's chat window displays a "business account" label in the chat window.

Getting Started With WhatsApp

You can use WhatsApp on most mobile and desktop devices or access it via the web. I tested the app using a Samsung Galaxy A71 5G and an iPhone 14 Pro.

As with Signal and Telegram, you need a valid phone number to set up a WhatsApp account. Unlike Signal, I could not sign up for a WhatsApp account using my Google Voice number, which is disappointing. You may have some luck using a different secret phone number service, like Hushed or Burner.

These private messaging apps secure your messages, but you aren't engaging in anonymous texting. With Editors' Choice winner Signal, you can create a username and hide your phone number from contacts after signing up, which adds a layer of anonymity.

Like other messengers, WhatsApp asks to access your mobile device's Contacts list when you sign up. Previously, Contact list access was not a requirement for the app to work as intended, but unfortunately, that's changed. When I tested WhatsApp's Android app, I could not send messages without allowing the app to access my phone's Contact list. It's a baffling requirement, especially since you'll still need to enter your chat partner's phone number to get in touch. Signal doesn't require access to your Contacts to send messages to people. I suggest making a habit of not giving away personal info online whenever possible.

If you don't allow Contact list access, you must input your friends' phone numbers to send messages or invite them to a group chat. To its credit, WhatsApp seems to do a pretty good job of protecting the privacy of your Contacts list, employing cryptographic hashes instead of storing phone numbers on its servers.

After signing into your new account, you can head to the Account section within the app's Settings menu and set up security notifications. You can also add a PIN and email address to your account for multi-factor authentication. In future updates, we'd like to see support for more secure authentication options, such as an authenticator app or a security key.

Privacy Settings

Customize your communication preferences in WhatsApp's Privacy menu. Lock down your privacy settings by tapping the Privacy Checkup button at the top of the screen. From there, follow the steps to choose who can contact you, add you to groups, see your online status and profile photo, and receive your read receipts. You can also set a timer for disappearing messages and back up your chat history. Tweak all of these settings later using toggles within the Privacy menu.

When you allow WhatsApp to access your phone's Contact list, you'll discover that every person you've ever interacted with IRL is probably on WhatsApp. Thankfully, you can block anyone who messages you on WhatsApp (and report spam).

In the Privacy menu on Android and iOS, there's a feature called Chat Lock, which allows you to hide conversations from view by locking the chat behind a layer of authentication. To lock a chat, swipe left on the conversation you want to lock. Tap the three dots and choose Lock Chat. From there, use biometric authentication, like Apple's FaceID, to hide the chat window in a folder called Locked Chats.

Next, create a secret code in the folder's settings menu. Enter that code in the app's search bar to access the conversation. The content and contacts for new messages you get in a locked chat window will be hidden.

A visit to the Advanced section of the Privacy menu reveals the option to "Protect IP address in calls," which means WhatsApp relays your calls through its servers. I didn't test this feature this time, but WhatsApp cautions that the setting may affect call quality.

Private Messaging

As with most messaging platforms, WhatsApp places conversations in speech bubbles, with your posts on the right and recipients on the left. You can opt-in or out of read receipts from Settings and change the background of Chats. WhatsApp also lets you block screenshots for images you mark as view-once and set default message durations, giving you lots of control over your messages.

On iOS, the plus symbol beside the text field in the chat window allows you to add audio clips, images, GPS location info, videos, a poll, or contact information to a chat window. You can also send files (up to 2GB). On Android, there are separate buttons to attach files (a paperclip), photos (a camera), or send audio clips (a large green microphone).

Earlier this year, WhatsApp added Chat Themes, which means you can customize your chats with wallpapers and colorful text bubbles. Tap the rounded square icon in the text field for access to emoji, reaction GIFs, and WhatsApp's robust collection of stickers, both static and animated. You can browse your list of saved stickers, add new ones, and download apps that add new stickers. Signal also offers stickers for the chat window.

Like Apple's messaging apps, WhatsApp can transcribe your voice messages. It's a helpful feature for moments when you receive voice messages around other people and you don't want to play the audio out loud.

If you're tired of humanity, you can explore the Chat with AIs feature, which prompts you to chat up various themed AI bots in the app. I spoke to an astrology bot about my (fake) dreams for a while. A disclaimer at the top of each AI chatbot window claims some of the bots answers may be "inaccurate or inappropriate", so it's probably a good idea for parents to be wary of their kids using this function.

Statuses take a page from social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, letting you create short videos that expire after 24 hours. You can send audio, GIFs, links, photos, text, and videos as Status messages, adding embellishments with the built-in image editor. Before you send out your Status, you can specify who can or cannot see it, sparing your grandmother your latest and dankest memes. Sending Status messages requires access to your device's camera, photos, media, and files.

Group Chats

Creating groups in WhatsApp is simple. Select people from your contacts, give the group a name, and you're ready to start a conversation. The person who creates the group is the administrator, and an admin can designate other group members as admins at any time.

Administrators can add new members manually, export a QR code, or create invitation links to the group chat. I like that you can set a timer to determine how long messages in each group exist.

WhatsApp has other useful settings for group chats, such as the event planning option. Instead of scrolling through chats to find times and dates to meet up with your friends, WhatsApp makes it easy to plan future dates, meetings, or parties in the chat window. Just tap the plus button, create your event, and all group members can register a response. You can also create polls to gather quick responses from the members of your chat group.

WhatsApp also has a Communities feature. These chats include additional management tools for larger, broader groups of people. They can support up to 1024 others and up to 32 people in video calls.

Payments and Shopping

In addition to chatting with your friends, WhatsApp can be used for shopping and connecting with brands. Some companies use WhatsApp instead of email to keep in touch with customers, sending them promotions or communicating with them directly for purchases and deliveries. It's important to remember that conversations with businesses do not use E2EE—meaning Meta or others could be watching and learning.

WhatsApp supports crypto payments in the US, but you need to create an account with specific crypto services. I did not test the payment features, but Signal and Telegram have similar abilities.

Voice and Video Chat

WhatsApp has a host of fun features, including AI-generated avatars and fun backgrounds and filters to liven up your video calls. I tested WhatsApp's audio and video calls using the iOS app on an iPhone 14 Pro. The video quality was soft and grainy despite both callers being on the same Wi-Fi network. Like Signal, you can switch between your phone's front and back cameras, share your screen, and turn off your camera during a call to switch to an audio-only setting. You can also minimize the call window to a type-chat window.

New chat notifications appear as pop-ups during calls unless you disable them in the app's Settings menu. I like how easy it is to screen share with other WhatsApp call participants, but if you want to ensure that your private conversations stay secret, disable your chat notifications while sharing your screen.

Each Chat or Group Chat can be used to start a new voice or video call. Afterward, the Calls section of the main screen logs your calls for easy access in the future. WhatsApp's documentation shows video calls can support up to 32 participants. Group calls are similar to Discord in that all Group chat members can see when a call starts and join it as they please.

Verdict: An Excellent Private Messaging App With a Caveat

WhatsApp is an excellent messaging app that uses end-to-end encryption by default for all personal chat messages and Group Chats. However, business conversations don't get that kind of protection. WhatsApp remains a powerful force among private messaging platforms based on its widespread use alone, and its wealth of features makes it a valuable communication tool. That said, Meta's ownership of the app leaves me with lingering doubts about the app's privacy and security, and I don't like the Contact list access requirement for messaging on Android devices. If you want to lock down your conversations, consider Editors' Choice winner Signal. Its pedigree as a secure messenger is still unbeatable.