In today's world you can never be too careful with what information about yourself you are making available. On top of option to block contacts from contacting you in WhatsApp, you also have the ability to manage some privacy settings controlling who sees what. You can change your privacy settings for your last online time, profile photo, status, and read receipts.

How to change your privacy settings for last seen time in WhatsApp for iPhone

If you are in a chat window with a contact of yours, right under their name at the top of the screen it will tell you the last time that contact was active on WhatsApp. If that sounds like gibberish to you, check out the example photo below to see what we are talking about.

The last seen date is underneath people's names in the chat window.

This is something that is automatically shown to anyone who is on WhatsApp chatting with you. You have a few options that allow you to modify who can actually see that information.

  1. Launch WhatsApp from your Home screen.
  2. Tap on the Settings tab. It's the little gear icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.

  3. Tap on the Account button. It's the blue box with the white key in the middle.

    Launch WhatsApp, tap on the setting tab, and then tap on account button.

  4. Tap on the Privacy button.

  5. Tap on the Last Seen button. This will show you a menu with three options.

    • Everyone (This means anyone on WhatsApp can see it, this is the default setting.)
    • My Contacts (This means only people you have in your contacts)

    • Nobody (This means no one can see this info and you can't see other peoples)

      Tap on the Privacy button and then tap on the last seen button.

  6. Tap on the option you desire

  7. Tap on the back button. It's the blue chevron in the top left corner with the word "Privacy" next to it.

    Tap on the option you want and then tap on the privacy button.

Now your new settings will be saved and you can enjoy the level of last-online privacy that you desire.

How to change your privacy settings for your profile picture in WhatsApp for iPhone

Your profile picture is automatically shown to anyone who is on WhatsApp chatting with you. You have a few options that allow you to modify who can actually see your profile photo.

  1. Launch WhatsApp from your Home screen.
  2. Tap on the Settings tab. It's the little gear icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.

  3. Tap on the Account button. It's the blue box with the white key in the middle.

    Launch WhatsApp, tap on the setting tab, and then tap on account button.

  4. Tap on the Privacy button.

  5. Tap on the Profile Picture button. This will show you a menu with three options.

    • Everyone (This means anyone on WhatsApp can see it, this is the default setting.)
    • My Contacts (This means only people you have in your contacts)

    • Nobody (This means no one can see this info)

      Tap on the Privacy button and then tap on the profile picture button.

  6. Tap on the option you desire

  7. Tap on the back button. It's the blue chevron in the top left corner with the word "Privacy" next to it.

    Tap on the option you want and then tap on the privacy button.

This will save your profile photo privacy setting to wherever you've set it.

How to change your privacy settings for your status in WhatsApp for iPhone

Your status appears under your name in someone's contact list and in your profile, by default anyone can see this, but broadcasting your mood to the world isn't always necessary.

  1. Launch WhatsApp from your Home screen.
  2. Tap on the Settings tab. It's the little gear icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.

  3. Tap on the Account button. It's the blue box with the white key in the middle.

    Launch WhatsApp, tap on the setting tab, and then tap on account button.

  4. Tap on the Privacy button.

  5. Tap on the Status button. This will show you a menu with three options.

    • Everyone (This means anyone on WhatsApp can see it, this is the default setting.)
    • My Contacts (This means only people you have in your contacts)

    • Nobody (This means no one can see this info)

      Tap on the privacy button and then on the status button

  6. Tap on the option you desire

  7. Tap on the back button. It's the blue chevron in the top left corner with the word "Privacy" next to it.

    Tap on the option you want and then tap on the privacy button.

This will save your status privacy setting to how you've set it, ensuring that only your selected level of clearance knows what's going on with you on WhatsApp.

How to turn read receipts on or off in WhatsApp for iPhone

You know those little check marks that tell people when you have read their messages? You can turn them off for your account. Why would you do that? You know that friend, the one that hounds you after having seen the checkmarks on their phone turn blue because you read their message but haven't yet responded? That's why.

  1. Launch WhatsApp from your Home screen.
  2. Tap on the Settings tab. It's the little gear icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.

  3. Tap on the Account button. It's the blue box with the white key in the middle.

    Launch WhatsApp, tap on the setting tab, and then tap on account button.

  4. Tap the On/Off switch to the left the words Read Receipts.

    Tap on the on/off button beside the words Read Receipts.

    This button will turn on or off the read receipts.

    • If the white circle is over to the right and has a green trail behind it that means the read receipts are on.
    • If the white circle is over to the left and there is no green around it that means the read receipts are off.

It's important to note that if you turn read receipts off then not only will nobody will see when you have read a message, but it will also disable the display of read receipts on your phone as well — you won't be able to if people have read your messages. It's a two-way street, those read receipts.

There is one exception, though: read receipts are always displayed in groups messages, regardless of your settings.