WhatsApp continues to evolve into one of the most powerful messaging platforms in the world—with over 2.8 billion monthly active users. In Sri Lanka, it’s the go-to communication tool for students, families, entrepreneurs, and even government agencies.
But did you know WhatsApp in 2025 is packed with hidden features, privacy settings, and automation tricks that can level up how you chat, run your business, or secure your conversations?
Here’s a comprehensive look at the latest WhatsApp tricks you probably didn’t know, specially curated for Sri Lankan users.
🔐 1. Create Secret Chats with Self-Destructing Messages
Want more privacy? Turn on disappearing messages:
- Tap on a chat > Tap contact name > Tap Disappearing Messages
- Choose from 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days
- Messages auto-delete after the selected time
📌 Pro Tip: You can set disappearing messages as the default for all new chats via Settings > Privacy > Default Message Timer
👁️ 2. Stealth Mode: Turn Off ‘Last Seen’, ‘Online’ & Read Receipts Individually
As of 2025, WhatsApp now lets you manage each privacy setting individually:
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Last Seen & Online
- Choose who can see your status: Everyone, My Contacts, My Contacts Except…, or Nobody
- Similarly, disable Read Receipts so others can’t see if you’ve read their messages (but you won’t see theirs either)
💬 3. Use WhatsApp on Multiple Devices (Even Without Your Phone!)
No more QR-code hassles every time. Now you can:
- Link up to 4 devices to your account
- Stay connected even if your phone is offline
How to set it up:
- Settings > Linked Devices > Link a New Device
- Works on WhatsApp Web, Desktop App, Android Tablets, and even another smartphone!
🧠 4. Schedule Messages Using Third-Party Apps
Though WhatsApp doesn’t offer native message scheduling yet, you can use:
- SKEDit (Android)
- Wasavi (Android)
- Shortcuts app (on iPhone)
Perfect for:
- Birthday reminders
- Business promotions
- Follow-up messages
🧩 5. Create Polls in Group Chats
WhatsApp now allows polls for quick decision-making:
- Open group chat > Tap attach (📎) > Tap Poll
- Add your question and options
- Track votes in real time
Great for:
- Planning events
- Taking family votes
- Customer engagement
🛡️ 6. Lock Individual Chats with Fingerprint or Face ID
Need to hide sensitive chats?
- Open chat > Tap contact name > Tap Chat Lock
- Authenticate with fingerprint/Face ID
- Hidden chats are moved to a separate Locked Chats folder
🗃️ 7. Organize Chats with Labels (WhatsApp Business)
If you use WhatsApp Business:
- Add labels like “New Order”, “Payment Pending”, “Completed”
- Helps organize chats and follow-ups
- Can filter by labels when searching messages
📌 Works only in WhatsApp Business app
📎 8. Send Original Quality Photos & Videos (No Compression)
Tired of WhatsApp ruining photo/video quality?
- Tap on attach (📎) > Choose Document instead of Gallery
- This sends the file in full resolution
Great for designers, photographers, and professionals
📅 9. Use WhatsApp as a Personal Reminder System
Create a group with only yourself:
- Create a group > Add someone > Remove them after creation
- Use it to send:
- Notes
- Photos
- Files
- Voice notes
Essentially becomes your personal notebook synced across devices!
📥 10. Silence Unknown Callers & Spam
New in 2025:
- Settings > Privacy > Calls > Toggle Silence Unknown Callers
- Helps avoid telemarketers, spam calls, and scams
- Caller still appears in call log if you want to review later
🧭 Final Thoughts
WhatsApp is no longer “just” a chat app—it’s now a communication powerhouse. These features are helping individuals and businesses across Sri Lanka stay secure, productive, and in control.
The more you explore these lesser-known tricks, the more powerful WhatsApp becomes.
🧠 Tip: Bookmark this article and share it with friends, family, or your office WhatsApp group. Everyone loves a good trick they didn’t know about!
Written by the LankaFix Editorial Team
Visit www.lankafix.com/tech-tips-trends for more useful tips, tech updates, and smart solutions!
