secret WhatsApp tricks you didn't know about

1. Begone, blue ticks of misery

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We know how it is. You're at figure skating practice, your phone buzzes, and you glance down briefly before nailing a spectacular triple axle.

Sometimes you've only got time for a quick glance, taking a little time to formulate a response as you carry on with the rest of our day. Ideally without having the sender realise that we actually looked at said message five hours ago, as otherwise they'd think we're ignoring them. That's the privelege the blue ticks take away.

Recently though, the chat app has realised the error of its ways and silently come up with a workaround. The liberty of message-mulling is ours again.

How: Users can just access Privacy via Settings and disable Read Receipts. However, this feature is currently only available to Android users who are on the all new beta version of the app.

If you're that desperate though, you have to download the beta and head to your Android phone's settings, enable Unknown Sources to install the APK file as it's not in the Google Play Store yet.

There, now it's time to iron out the kinks in your friendships that the blue ticks have caused. The rest of us will just have to wait for a future update.

2. See when your messages are read

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Think the double blue ticks are the worst thing to happen to relationships since Last Seen? Think again. Here's another way you could annoy your mates.

In addition to finding out the exact time your messages are delivered, you can also choose to see the exact time your message was read if you choose to stick with the ticks.

How: Go to any of your WhatsApp chats, tap and hold on any of the messages you’ve sent in that chat, followed by the Info option. For iOS users, you can also drag towards the left to reveal a window which will show the time your message was delivered and subsequently read.

It works for group messages too with the window listing the time each participant read the message.

3. Tied to your number

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If you’re overseas and you get a new data sim, there’s no need to go through the hassle of registering the new number attached to the SIM and faff around adding contacts. Just carry on using WhatsApp with your regular number.

How: When you put your new SIM in and activate WhatsApp, you’ll be prompted by the messaging service to register the new number. But doing so will mess up your contacts list. Just ignore the pop-up or cancel it, and your WhatsApp should work linked to your old number, while using your new data SIM.

[Image credit: Hongkiat.com]

4. Sending public messages privately

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If you’ve got a generic announcement to make - an invite to a weekend BBQ or an intervention about your friend's unhealthy obsession with KFC - and you don’t want to do it on the loudmouth platform that is Facebook, this feature works in pretty much the same way as BCC-ing people in an email.

Your recipients will get the message as if it was a privately composed one, oblivious to the fact that you’ve sent the exact same invite to 342 other people. Sincerity? What's that?

How: On the top left hand corner of your WhatsApp Chats window, just below the search bar, you’ll notice a Broadcast Lists. Tap on it for the option to create a new list of contacts you want your message to go out to, and message away like you would normally.

Read more at http://www.stuff.tv/features/11-secret-whatsapp-tricks-you-probably-didnt-know-about#J8qTeTtsAcJ2GTBw.99