WhatsApp will become even more powerful with a few tuning measures. This is how you upgrade 21 missing features and use Messenger as cloud storage or notepad.
WhatsApp can do more! This is how you expand Messenger with practical features. (Source: diego_cervo /depositphotos.com)
- WhatsApp is still the most popular messenger.
- But some practical features are missing.
- However, they can be retrofitted in just a few simple steps.
Messenger WhatsApp has now become the standard communication channel for us. No wonder the app enables free communication with friends, relatives and acquaintances all over the world – via chat, telephone or video.
Meta has continuously developed the messenger over the years, but WhatsApp still lacks some features and that can be quite annoying, especially since WhatsApp alternatives such as Telegram or Signal sometimes offer them.
If you don’t want to wait for a WhatsApp update, you can easily retrofit many of the missing functions. In the following, we will show you which tools you can use to drill into WhatsApp.
Show usage time
Instagram now offers you the opportunity to check whether you spend too much time in the photo network. WhatsApp lacks a corresponding function, but you can use system apps to determine how many minutes you spend in WhatsApp every day.
polls and polls
WhatsApp groups are useful for planning activities together, but they lack one feature: the ability to conduct polls and surveys in a group. WhatsApp has also recognized this and is currently working on a corresponding feature. Until then, you can use these tools to conduct polls and votes in WhatsApp groups.
Use chat shortcuts on iPhone
With chat shortcut, WhatsApp on Android phones offers a handy feature that allows you to put a shortcut to a frequently used chat on the home screen. The function is missing on the iPhone, but you can easily retrofit it using the iOS app “Shortcuts”.
Share longer videos in Status
WhatsApp only allows sharing 30-second videos in Status. But with a trick you can also upload longer clips. So-called splitter apps will help you with this.
Set shortcuts for emojis
On the PC, WhatsApp offers the option of assigning a shortcut to frequently used emojis so that they can be quickly integrated into messages. The feature is missing on mobile phones. Shortcuts for WhatsApp emojis can still be set on the smartphone with a small detour.
Send messages at a specific time
It doesn’t matter whether it’s New Year’s greetings at the turn of the year or birthday wishes punctually at midnight – sometimes you want to write a message in advance and then send it at a certain time. But WhatsApp does not offer such a function ex works.
With an additional tool, you can retrofit them quickly and easily. We will show you in a separate guide how to send WhatsApp messages with a time delay.
Turn voice messages into text
Received a minute-long voice message and don’t feel like listening to it? Unfortunately, WhatsApp does not yet offer the option of automatically transcribing voice messages ex works. A corresponding feature is in development, but is far from being ready for the market.
But there are tools with which you can already convert WhatsApp voice messages into text and then read them easily.
switch accounts
You use separate WhatsApp accounts for private and professional communication and would you like to use both on one cell phone? WhatsApp does not provide a direct function for this either. But you can tinker them yourself with on-board tools on most cell phones. So you use two WhatsApp accounts on one cell phone and switch between the accounts.
Print chat
You want to print out a WhatsApp chat? The messenger does not offer a function for this either. But there are a few tricks you can use to print WhatsApp chats.
Detailed statistics
WhatsApp offers a feature that allows you to see the number of messages sent. But all in all, the messenger’s statistical functions are relatively poor. If you want to evaluate your chat behavior in detail, you should use this WhatsApp analysis tool.
chat bubbles
With Android 11, Google introduced the ability to pin ongoing chats to the screen as bubbles, giving you quicker access to them. Unfortunately, WhatsApp does not yet support this feature. With a few simple steps, the chat bubbles can still be activated on WhatsApp.
Public chat groups
The WhatsApp competitor Telegram offers the possibility to exchange ideas with like-minded people in public chat groups. WhatsApp lacks such a function, here chat groups are usually only intended for private communication between acquaintances. With a trick you can also find public WhatsApp groups.
Automatic replies to messages
Are you in the car or in a meeting and can’t react to incoming WhatsApp messages? Of course you can write that in your status, but whether everyone reads it is questionable. Wouldn’t it be handy to send an automatic away message to contacts who message you? What is possible with the e-mail program is not possible with WhatsApp with on-board resources, but we will show you how you can still reply to incoming WhatsApp messages with automatic messages.
Send images uncompressed
WhatsApp compresses photos before sending. There is no option to send the pictures in their original form or at least in high quality. But you can use a trick to send uncompressed images via WhatsApp.
Transfer chats to new mobile number
Anyone who has a new phone and phone number may be wondering why they can’t res tore their WhatsApp chats from iCloud or Google Drive. The reason: These are linked to the telephone number. But you can solve the problem with a few simple steps:
In the future, WhatsApp wants to do the work for you and offer a migration tool for changing mobile phones.
View profile visitors
If you want to know who viewed your profile on WhatsApp, you can find suitable apps on Google Play, which are often subject to a fee. But beware! We strongly advise against installing this. Many of these programs appear dubious and it is doubtful that you are getting any real value for your money here. But you can use a trick on WhatsApp to determine who is interested in your content.
note function
Wouldn’t it be handy to save a to-do list or shopping list in WhatsApp? Signal has a “note to me” feature for this. With a trick, you can also upgrade the note function for WhatsApp.
Messenger as cloud storage
WhatsApp is not only good as a note app, but also as a replacement for Google Drive and Co. In a separate article we will tell you how you can turn WhatsApp into cloud storage.
Pixelate faces
On the iPhone, WhatsApp offers the option to pixelate faces on photos before sending them, but this is missing on Android phones. But you can easily retrofit them – you can find the appropriate tools in the Google Play Store. We show you how you can pixelate faces on pictures on Android phones under WhatsApp.
Are these functions not enough for you? Then you should take a look at these WhatsApp bots. You can use them to get even more out of Messenger, so you can easily track your DHL package via Messenger, complete a cooking course on WhatsApp or order photo prints.
Delete messages longer
WhatsApp only allows you to remove messages from the devices of all chat partners up to one hour after sending them. After that you can only delete it from your chat history. Those who want more control can achieve this with the “Self-deleting messages” function. These are automatically deleted seven days after sending.
underline text
With WhatsApp you can bold or italicize text passages. Underlining is not possible in Messenger. With this trick you can also underline text passages on WhatsApp.
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