Instant messaging platform, WhatsApp, is now a days used to send the instant messages to the individuals and groups who are saved in our address book and in contacts but what about those contacts to whom we want to send the WhatsApp messages once or twice and don’t want to save those contacts in our phone book or contact list? Now it’s possible in WhatsApp to send the messages to those numbers without saving them in the smartphone.

WhatsApp has come up with a feature ‘Click to Chat’ that allows users to begin a chat with someone without having their phone number saved in your phone’s address book. However, knowing the number of the person you want to chat with is a must.

Process To Send WhatsApp Chat Without Saving The Contact Using Browser

1. Open your phone’s browser
2. Type link, api[dot]whatsapp[dot]com/send?phone= and insert the person’s full phone number in international format, after eliminating any zeroes, brackets or dashes and don’t use + sign as well
3. For example, api[dot]whatsapp[dot]com/send?phone=91 1234567890
   Don’t use: api[dot]whatsapp[dot]com/send?phone=+91 1234567890
4. Press Enter key
5. A WhatsApp window will open asking if you want to send a message to that phone number. Press on ‘send message‘
6. You will automatically be redirected to WhatsApp with the ‘start chatting‘ window to the person you entered in your phone

This ‘Click to Chat’ works on both phone and WhatsApp Web for the individual chat cases only and does not work in case you want to engage in a Group chat.

Process To Send WhatsApp Chat Without Saving The Contact Using App

1. Install and open the WhatsDirect app from Google Play Store.
2. Accept the Terms & Conditions by tapping “Continue” button.
3. Type the phone number along with the country code. For India, 91 is the country code.
4. Type the message
5. WhatsDirect app contains phone number and message, click on “Send Text” button
6. It will take you to the WhatsApp where you can edit your message and hit the “Send” icon to send the message

These are the two easy methods to send WhatsApp chat without saving the contact in contact list. Recently, WhatsApp added new features and updates for the WhatsApp Groups. The popular messenger app has introduced five new improvements to WhatsApp groups which include group description, admin controls, group catch up, participant search and admin permissions. The WhatsApp users will now have the ability to leave a group permanently. Another important update called the “Restrict Group” allows WhatsApp group admins to send messages in the group.

Recently, WhatsApp Rolls Out Media Visibility And Contacts Shortcut Features For Android Beta Users. You can visit WhatsApp frequently asked questions (FAQ) section for more information on WhatsApp updates.

WhatsApp is one of the most used messaging apps around the world, and is a must have app in your smartphones but if you have constant fear about your data leakage due to recent Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data breach, then you have multiple other options too. Deleting a WhatsApp account is easy by following simple options given in the settings. But before you delete your WhatsApp account, it will permanently delete all your chats and messages and also it will delete all your backup from the Google Drive related to WhatsApp which can’t be restored back.

How to delete WhatsApp account?

1. Open WhatsApp, tap on three dots, tap on settings
2. Tap the ‘Account’ option
3. Under Account settings, tap the option ‘Delete my account’
4. Now WhatsApp will prompt some warnings such as doing so will delete all your message history, delete you from all your WhatsApp groups and also it will delete all your Google Drive backup related to WhatsApp etc.
5. To finally delete your account, confirm your country code and enter a mobile number associated with your WhatsApp account. Now, tap ‘Delete My Account.’

This way you will be able to delete your WhatsApp account permanently.

Top 10 Messaging Apps like WhatsApp

1. Hike Messenger App

Hike messenger is a great alternative to WhatsApp due to its privacy, which has remained the most talked about topics these days and one of the most reliable among top 10 Messaging Apps. In hike messenger, users can hide their private chats using a password. It has huge numbers of stickers, keeps users engaged with live cricket scores, news and more.

Users can do free voice calling in India and across the globe with this app.

Recently, hike messenger integrated wallet feature to let users send money over unified payments interface (UPI) and pay for instant recharges/mobile bills.

2. SnapChat Messaging App

Snapchat, brand of Snap Inc. – a camera company, is a good alternative and recently announced the launch of a new group video chat feature which allows up to 16 users to chat with each other via its app. The service also added mentions to SnapChat Stories to make these more conversational and makes it one of the most globally accepted among top 10 Messaging Apps.

3. Telegram Messaging App

Telegram is real-time synchronization of messages across various platforms i.e. if you started typing some message on your smartphone, you can finish that on your desktop and send provided you are logged in both the devices at the same time.
It sends and receives encrypted messages like WhatsApp which is fast and accurate. As per telegram, the app will remain free for ever and user will not be charged for a single penny in future. It also says that it will not be going to sell ads or introduce subscription fees in future as well. It is simple, fast, secure, and synced across all your devices makes it one of the most globally accepted and easy to use among top 10 Messaging Apps.

4. WeChat Messaging App

WeChat, developed by Tencent, has a paid calling service thorough which you can make calls to mobiles phones and landlines at low rates. WeChat enables users to send multimedia messages like video, photo, text, group chat, and voice messages and calling makes it one of the world’s most used among top 10 messaging apps. On top of that, it also supports group chat with up to 500 people and calls with up to 9 people at the same time. Wechat gives you the highest level of Control Over Your Privacy. It’s the only Messaging App to be Certified By Truste. It is a multi-purpose messaging, social media and mobile payment app. It was first released in 2011 and now it has become one of the world’s largest standalone mobile apps by monthly active users.

Recently, WeChat crossed 1 Billion download mark worldwide.

5. LINE Messaging App

LINE users can strike a group conversation with up to 200 people simultaneously. The app supports group video chats as well. LINE enables users to connect with their friends and family members over both audio and video calls for free. Free VoIP conversations and video conferences make it one of the most used among top 10 messaging apps.

6. Viber Messenger

Viber Messenger automatically encrypts text messages, audio/video calls, multimedia and group conversations. It is a free, real-time voice calling app which allows up to 250 users to get into a group conversation at the same time. It also automatically encrypts text messages, audio/video calls, multimedia and group conversations. It is a cross-platform instant messaging app and voice over IP application operated by Japanese company Rakuten.

It is provided as freeware for the Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS platforms. It requires a telephone number to operate like WhatsApp and makes it one of the most used among top 10 messaging apps.

7. Google Allo

Google Allo is a smart messaging app that helps you say more and do more. Express yourself better with stickers, Smart Reply, and HUGE emojis & text. Allo brings you the Google Assistant.

8. imo Messaging App

This messaging app allows users Message and video call your friends and family for free, no matter what device they are on. Its messages are end-to-end encrypted, high-quality video and voice calls on Android and iPhone is the lucrative feature. Users can send free and unlimited messages and video and voice calls over 2G, 3G, 4G* or Wi-Fi. You can do group video calls with friends, family and others. Fast photo and video sharing, hundreds of free stickers are the high end features etc. made it next alternative to WhatsApp and is one of the most used among top 10 messaging apps.

9. Skype Messaging App

The all time hit free IM and video calling app through which you can IM your friend and groups and make free video calling around the globe. You can send more than just text, send photos, videos, voice messages, emoticons, Mojis and more. You can also respond to any message from your contacts with reactions. It is largely used for video and group conversation, all this makes it one of the most popular among top 10 messaging apps.

10. Google Hangouts

Hangouts enables group chat up to 150 people to keep in touch. You can message your contacts, start free video or voice calls, and hop on a conversation with one person or a group. You can call any phone number in the world (and all calls to other Hangouts users are free). Google, Gmail, Google hangouts all are Google products and this app is most reliable, most accepted and most popular among all top 10 messaging apps.

Photography with high end smartphones now a days is a passion, smartphone users are definitely more or less photography enthusiasts who can do much more on their smartphones than just editing photos, adding new filters and making GIFs. With the latest iOS & android photography apps, not only you can change its brightness, contrast, orientation or anything else to make the photos more catchy but also you can transfer them directly to your desktop/laptop without using Bluetooth or any other data transfer means.

Android and iOS App developers are trying to offer more and more unique experiences to users through their photo and video apps. Here is the top 10 list of the latest photo and video apps for Android and iOS smartphone users based on real users experiences and number of downloads.

1. Just a Line – Draw Anywhere, with AR

Free

Google’s new app Just A Line allows Android users to draw their own AR (augmented reality) stickers over any objects or space in front of the phone’s camera. Users can doodle anything using the white lines on the app’s screen and then save it in GIF-like short video files. Touch the screen to draw, then hit record and share what you make with #justaline. Just a Line works on any devices that support ARCore such as Google Pixel, Asus ZenFone AR and OnePlus 5, which support Google’s ARCore platform.

For this, Camera is needed to let you draw in AR and record videos, Microphone is needed to let you record videos of drawings you make and Photos/Media/Files are needed to let you save videos of drawings on your device makes it one of the best photography apps.

2. Picstun

Freemium

Picstun is a professional photo animation app for pictures, which can be used to add some amazing animated video effects to a pic and animate it.

Take a snap using the camera option or select a picture from the photo gallery, crop and rotate it, add a colorful photo animation effect to animate photo, preview the animated pic, share and save it, using this free photo animator and video maker hd, or live photo editor app and video maker new.

3. vimage

Free

Created by a Hungary-based developer, vimage is a unique photo app which can bring photos to life by adding a looping motion wherever users wants. You can add wonderful, super-realistic looped effects to your photos making them a great-looking cinema-graph.

You need to pick or take a photo, choose the effect or motion, do some editing job and save & share the vimage.

4. Snapseed

Free

Snapseed is a complete and professional photo editor developed by Google which offers 29 Tools and Filters, including Healing, Brush, Structure, HDR etc.

5. Pixlr

Free

With Pixlr – the free photo editor, you can capture any moment and make it beautiful with over 2 million combinations of free effects, overlays, and filters. Once you’re done, share your finished work directly to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or your other favorite social networks.

6. Adobe Photoshop Express

Free

Adobe Photoshop Express is one of the best photo editing and collage maker tool for easy, quick and powerful editing on mobile devices. It has 60+ professional looks and advance corrections like Denoise and Defog for free. It gives you flexibility and control of images ranging from layouts, border size, color, individual pan, and zoom.

7. Photos Companion – A Microsoft Garage project

Free

Microsoft’s Photos Companion app is another attempt by the Redmond company to improve file sharing experience between Windows 10 PC and an Android smartphone or Apple iPhone. Users can connect their smartphone to any Windows PC by scanning a QR code on the Photos app on PC and then share any photos between them without involving Bluetooth or a USB cable. The only catch is that both devices should be on the same Wi Fi network.

8. PicsArt Photo Studio: Collage Maker & Pic Editor (Beta)

Free

PicsArt is the photo editor and pic collage maker on mobile with +500 million installs. It has free clipart library. PicsArt is all about making awesome pictures and having fun by remixing free-to-edit pictures into awesome collages and memes.

9. DSLR Camera : Photo Editor

Free

In this app, Image blur tool allows you to blur the background of your photo very fast to create amazing photos with blurred background.

You can select image from your gallery, crop your image, blur image background on finger movement, use Photo editing tools like Brush Size, Undo, Redo, and more to accurately blur photos.
Also, you can Add Text, Sticker on image, Set Brightness and effects on image.

10. Photo Lab Picture Editor: face effects, art frames

Free

This app make your image look creative in seconds without using a professional editor and set it as a contact icon, a wallpaper, send a signed virtual postcard to a friend or share it to any social network.

WhatsApp rolled out a new feature in a Beta update where users can migrate their data to a new number without any issue. Users of iOS, Android and Windows Phone will soon be enabled with this update.

The new “Change Number” feature update is currently available in the 2.18.97 Android beta update on Google Play Store. It will come in iOS and Windows devices later.

“It adds many improvements to the old change number feature. You will be able to choose specific contacts to notify, and the chat history will be moved in the new chat on the recipients’ phone. This deletes the problem of duplicated chats,” tweeted WABetaInfo, a fan website that tracks upcoming WhatsApp features.

The user can now choose if he wants to also notify some or all contacts. “You can also choose to notify contacts who you have a chat with,” the report said.

Steps to change number in WhatsApp

To change the phone number in WhatsApp, you need to migrate your account and profile information, groups and settings from your old phone number to new phone number and need to delete the account associated with old phone number so that your contacts may not see your old number in their WhatsApp contact list.

If you use Change number feature in the WhatsApp, then your chat history will remain on your existing phone with the new phone number. But if you’re using new SIM/new contact number on new smartphone, then you need to change your number in old phone first and then follow data migration steps given in the next heading.

To change your phone number, you can follow below steps-

1. Insert new SIM card into your phone
2. Open WhatsApp and verify that your old phone number is currently verified by tapping on three vertical dots (more option) >> Settings >> tap on your profile photo.
3. Now again tap on more option >> Settings > Account > Change number.
4. Click on Next button which will ensure changing your phone number will migrate your account information, groups and settings.
5. Enter your old phone number in the first box with country code.
6. Enter your new phone number in the second box.
7. Tap Next (here you can notify your all contacts by selecting Notify Contacts or can select Custom to notify your changes to selected contacts)
8. Tap Done and then you’ll be prompted to verify your phone number, so do it to verify your new contact number by entering verification code sent to you by WhatsApp.

Steps to migrate data from old number to new number in WhatsApp

After the migration, in the recipient’s phone, all shared messages in the old chat will be transferred in the new one and in the chat will appear a new bubble, indicating that the user has a new number, WABetaInfo said.

WhatsApp now has 1.5 billion monthly active users (MAUs) who are exchanging nearly 60 billion messages on a single day. It has over 200 million users in India.

If you are using WhatsApp on the existing phone then you don’t need to migrate data from your old phone number to new phone number or contact number but if you’re using new device as well then you need to migrate data as well.

Follow below steps to migrate your WhatsApp data associated with your old contact number to new contact number which will be used in new device or smartphone.

1. First follow above steps to change number in Whatsapp
2. Since WhatsApp chats are automatically backed up and saved daily to your phone’s memory depending on your settings, also you can periodically back up your WhatsApp chats to Google Drive.
3. If you uninstall WhatsApp from your old phone, then on changing your phone number you can manually back up your chats on new phone before uninstalling it from the old phone.

1. How to take backup of WhatsApp Chat to Google Drive?

To take backup of WhatsApp chat to the Google Drive, you should have an active Gmail/Google account on your phone. Google Play services, an app that’s used to update Google apps and apps from the Google Play Store, should be installed on your phone.

1. To take backup of your chat, tap on more options > Settings > Chats > Chat backup > tap on BACK UP (if you’re using Google Drive for the WahtsApp chat backup).
2. Select a backup frequency to Daily, weekly or monthly.
3. Select the Google account you’d like to back up your chat history to.
4. Tap Back up over Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi or Cellular to choose the network you want to use for backups.
5. Toggle Yes to include video if you want to take backup of.

If you’re using iPhone then you can take backup to and from iCloud drive.

2. How to export WhatsApp Chat History?

1. Open the individual or group chat.
2. Tap on More options >> More >> Export chat.
3. Choose whether to export Without Media (40000 messages) or Include Media (10000 messages) and tap on respective options.

An email will be composed with your chat history attached as a .txt document.

3. How to restore your WhatsApp chat history from Google Drive?

You can transfer your WhatsApp data to a new phone by restoring from Google Drive and to do so follow below steps-

1. Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
2. Open WhatsApp and verify your number by entering verification code.
3. RESTORE propmt comes to restore your chats and media from Google Drive.
4. Once the restoration is done, tap NEXT to complete the initialization. Now your chat messages will start appearing and subsequently your media files will be restored.

4. How to restore your whatsApp chat from a local backup?

If you want to use backup from your local storage, then it can be done transferring files from your local computer or phone storage as below-

1. Your phone will store up to the last seven days worth of local backup files which are automatically created every day at 2:00 AM and saved as a file in your phone. You can check your data in /sdcard/WhatsApp/ folder or you can find it at “internal storage” or “main storage” folders of your phone and tap to Restore when prompted after reinstall WhatsApp.
2. or you can download a File Manager app in your smartphone, navigate to sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases in File Manager app. Rename the backup file you want to restore from msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12 to msgstore.db.crypt12 and tap to Restore when prompted after reinstall WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is continuously upgrading the features of the app, in recent past WhatsApp reported about the peer to peer payment system and then introduced QR code for the same payment system.

Already, WhatsApp users can use single app for multiple accounts and also this can be used in Desktop/Laptop as well.

Other instant messaging Apps are also on the floor but they are far behind Whatsapp messaging app.

Image credit- Canva

With the increase in number of smartphones and increased telecom bandwidth in India, people are exploring video calling app apart from the normal day to day calls with their dear ones. The voice calls are still a first choice for many and is hardly to be replaced by video calls, but that doesn’t mean video calls are a dud.

Most promising video calling apps are available for android and iOS users but the most popular apps in India that come with video calling feature are WhatsApp, Google Duo, and Facebook Messenger.

Let’s take a look of features these video calling apps are offering and comparing them as well that which one suits best in the field of speed and size.

WhatsApp Messenger

WhatsApp is undoubtedly the most popular messaging app. Currently it has over 200 million monthly active users in India only. The Facebook-owned app introduced the video calling feature in 2016.

During WhatsApp video calling, user can switch the cameras between the front and rear – the video being captured by your camera will be at the bottom right in a small rectangular widget that can be tapped to make full screen. You also see mute button, and a disable video call button, in addition to the end call button. In case you’re on a voice call on WhatsApp, you will now be able to switch to a video call by tapping a button in the call interface in the latest WhatsApp version for Android and iOS.

Google Duo

Google has several video calling apps such as Hangouts, however at the I/O conference in 2016, Google realized to focus more on messaging and calling apps. It launched the Google Allo and Google Duo apps at the conference.

Google Duo is comparatively simpler than WhatsApp since it doesn’t support textual messaging. It comes with voice and video calls only.

The Google Duo has an interesting feature called Knock Knock that lets the person who you are calling see your video before the call is answered. The app was recently updated with a fresh contact list and a recent list.

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger was initially launched as one of the suite of apps from the social media giant. Facebook launched its Messenger independent of your Facebook profile however you can use Messenger with your Facebook account as well.

Alternatively you can sign up with your mobile number without having to create a Facebook profile if you don’t wish to.

If to think about which app is better, we can say Facebook Messenger has a lot more features than WhatsApp and Google Duo like lot of stickers, games, automated responses from brand pages, and chatbots, separate tab where your voice and video calls are saved, group calling, better interface, the video call screen has mute, video chat off and end call option.

Apart from above , there are two buttons Chat and Camera. Tapping on chat icon will bring you the chat screen while your video call is still running in a Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode.

WeChat, a Chinese multimedia messaging app recently crossed 1 Billion download which is also offering load of features.

Ubiquitous social multimedia messaging app WeChat, developed by Chinese technology giant Tencent, has crossed the one billion accounts mark  as its messaging, game and shopping services attract more and more users worldwide.

The symbolic threshold was announced by Pony Ma, the founder and CEO of its parent company Tencent.

“WeChat’s worldwide monthly active users have surpassed the critical one billion mark,” said Ma, who is a delegate at the two-week session of the Communist Party-controlled National People’s Congress. “In the future we hope to use technological innovation to push forward the next developmental step of reform and opening,” Ma said.

WeChat falls behind Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, whose active users reportedly stood at 2.1 billion and 1.5 billion respectively as of last year.

The popularity of WeChat—and profits from its addictive mobile games—have pushed Tencent’s earnings and share price sharply upwards.

Another popular feature of WeChat is its payment service, which allows people to pay at restaurants, buy goods from shops or even send money to friends.

Features of WeChat which made it popular

• Multimedia Messaging: Send Video, Photo, Text, And Voice Messages.
• Group Chat & Calls: Create Group Chats With Up To 500 People And Group Video Calls Up To 9 People which is just double offered by its rival WhatsApp.
• Free Voice & Video Calls: High-Quality Free Calls To Anywhere In The World.
• WeChat Out Calls: Make Calls To Landlines And Mobile Around The Globe At Low Rates (In Certain Regions Only).
• Sticker Gallery: Hundreds Of Free, Fun, Animated Stickers To Express Your Feelings From Some Of Your Favorite Cartoons And Movies.
• Moments: Share Your Best Moments On Your Personal Photo Stream.
• Better Privacy: WeChat Gives You The Highest Level Of Control Over Your Privacy. It’S The Only Messaging App To Be Certified By Truste.
• Meet New Friends: Use “Friend Radar”, “People Nearby” And “Shake” To Meet Others.
• Realtime Location: Instead Of Having To Tell Others Where You Are, Just Use Real-Time Location Sharing.
• Language Support: Localized In 20 Different Languages And Can Translate Messages To Any Language.
• More other features like Desktop App, Custom Wallpapers, Custom Notifications, And Official Accounts make it more interesting among other chatting and multimedia apps.

Recently its rival WhatsApp added new feature to delete the sent message to everyone and extended its time limit.