WhatsApp privacy settings on Windows: Medium level

What for: To keep strangers from reading your messages and to avoid getting distracted.

WhatsApp notifications can be displayed on the desktop of your computer. They can be seen by strangers if, for example, you leave your laptop unattended. You can stop WhatsApp from showing desktop notifications or hide the text of notifications.

To disable such notifications:

1. Open the menu by clicking the three dots icon to the right of the profile photo.
2. If you use Safari, the icon will be shaped as a down arrow.
3. Go to the Settings section.
4. Select Notifications.
5. Clear the check mark next to Desktop alerts.

If you do not wish to disable notifications completely, you can block the display of message text or mute sounds. To do so:

1. Open the menu by clicking the three dots icon to the right of the profile photo in the main application window.
2. Go to the Settings section.
3. Select Notifications.
4. Clear the check mark next to Sounds.
5. Clear the check mark next to Show previews.

What for: To keep out spam.

Any WhatsApp user who knows your phone number can send you a message. If you have been targeted by fraudsters or spammers, you can block the unwanted users. You can also block users from whom you do not wish to receive messages for any other reason.

Blocked users will not know that they have been blacklisted. They will not be able to call you or view your status updates, and all messages sent by them will be marked as undelivered. You will not see those messages at all.

To block a user:

1. Open the chat with the contact you want to block.
2. Click the three dots icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
3. Select Contact info.
4. In the window that opens, click Block in the list at the bottom and confirm your selection.

Login settings cannot be configured in the Web version.

To check the list of connected devices and remove the devices you no longer use (or devices that do not belong to you) follow the instructions on how to configure the iOS or Android app.

To additionally secure your account using two-step verification, follow the instructions on how to configure the iOS or Android app.

To enable account protection using biometric data, follow the instructions on how to configure the iOS or Android app.

To remove your account before changing the number, follow the instructions on how to configure the iOS or Android app.

The web version of WhatsApp does not allow editing the personal data settings.

To stop showing media files from chats in the common gallery of your mobile device, follow the instructions on how to configure the iOS or Android app.

To limit visibility of your profile, follow the instructions on how to configure the iOS or Android app.