WhatsApp is a very popular messaging service. If you are not familiar with it, this introductory guide will help you understand it.
If you've never used WhatsApp, chances are you've never heard of it. The WhatsApp application is one of the favorite applications for sending messages via the internet.

Below is an introductory guide for WhatsApp. We'll cover what WhatsApp is, how to use it, what features are available, and why it's so popular.

What is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp Messenger is a free instant messaging app available on Android and iPhone. It allows you to send text messages to other users one-on-one or in groups. Importantly, WhatsApp chats are conducted over the internet. This contrasts with standard SMS, which goes through your phone provider.

Inside the chat, WhatsApp has all the features you'd expect from a modern messaging app, including options for sending photos, sharing your location, finding and sending GIFs, and the like. In addition to the SMS service, WhatsApp supports voice calls, video calls, and recorded voice messages.

WhatsApp was founded in 2009 by two former Yahoo! employees. In 2014, Facebook bought the app, and it's been under the Facebook umbrella (now called Meta) ever since. The service has a large user base, approximately reaching more than two billion users worldwide by 2020.

How to Install WhatsApp
To use the WhatsApp application is very easy. You only need to install the application, register and you can directly send messages to friends. Here are the steps to install WhatsApp on a smartphone.

1. First, download WhatsApp for Android or iPhone .

2. Open the app and agree to the terms, then you have to go through a simple registration process. After entering your phone number, you will receive an SMS containing a confirmation code. Enter it into WhatsApp.

3. Next, enter your name and set a profile photo.

4. You will be asked to allow WhatsApp to access your contacts, allow this access so that you can easily search for the name of the person on WhatsApp to start a conversation.

5. Then choose whether you will allow access to your photos (to send chats).

6. Done, WhatsApp is ready to use.

How to Use WhatsApp
If you've used other messaging apps like Telegram, (Facebook) Messenger, Signal, or Viber, WhatsApp will look familiar. To start a chat, tap the New button , which is on the top right on iPhone and on the bottom right on Android. Find one or more people you want to chat with, then enter a message and press Send .

These tips are basic texting capabilities, but WhatsApp has a lot more to offer in its chats. For most of them, tap the Plus (iPhone) or paperclip (Android) icon next to the chat box to open a menu that lets you send pictures, locations, files, or contacts. The Sticker icon lets you send funny GIFs or stickers, while the Microphone icon lets you record a voice message.

At the top, you will see a Camera icon to initiate a video call with a person/group, as well as a Phone icon to initiate a voice note. Tap a contact or group name to view info about them, search for chats, change their wallpaper, and customize other options.

The CHATS tab on the main screen contains all your chats, sorted by recent activity. Swipe from right to left to archive chats if you no longer need them, or tap More to see some options. By swiping from left to right, you'll see the Pin to save the conversation at the top of the list.
On the STATUS tab , you can add a temporary text or photo status to share with your contacts (or selected people). You will also see any statuses that your contacts have shared with you.

This status is very similar to Instagram Stories, only available for 24 hours, and your friends can reply after viewing it.
If you frequently use WhatsApp for audio calls, the CALLS tab makes it easy to check all your calls and missed ones, much like a phone dialer app.

Apart from that, you also of course have Settings full of useful options. In particular, the Account section contains options to make WhatsApp more private and secure, and Linked Devices which allows you to use WhatsApp Web to enjoy the service on your desktop or laptop. Keep in mind that WhatsApp doesn't work without a phone, so your computer must be connected to your mobile device to use WhatsApp Web.

Why is WhatsApp So Popular?
If you look at the past few years WhatsApp is still not as popular as it is now, many people use other applications such as Facebook or BBM as a means of communication. So what made WhatsApp to be as popular as it is now.

Low Cost
WhatsApp has become popular in many areas due to its low cost of use. At that time phone providers in many countries charged per text message, or limited how many you could send. Since all you need to use WhatsApp is an internet connection, it is a more attractive alternative to texting.

Cross-Device Simplicity And Support
In some countries, there are many people who use iPhone, iMessage is the default messenger for many people it will automatically activate when you send a text message to someone who also has an iPhone. But since Android is much more widely used around the world, WhatsApp has a solution to solve this problem.

WhatsApp remains at the top for its simplicity and flexibility. All users need to do to message someone is their phone number, so you don't have to worry about connecting on Facebook or using an Apple device. Sending SMS, calling, and sharing photos in one place without any ads is the interesting thing about WhatsApp.

Also, SMS (and MMS, which is used to send multimedia messages) are obsolete. SMS is still limited to 160 characters per text, and MMS has strict file size limits that plague modern videos and images. WhatsApp is a sophisticated modern messaging method in this day and age.

End-to-End Encryption
In addition to its low cost and high flexibility. WhatsApp also has guaranteed security with end-to-end encryption features. This means that messages you send with the service can only be read by their intended recipients.

Many other messaging services, such as Telegram, use client-server encryption by default. This means your messages are encrypted in transit, but they pass through the company's servers and are re-encrypted at that point. In theory, someone in the company with the decryption key could read or tamper with your messages.

Despite end-to-end encryption, many people don't trust WhatsApp because Facebook owns it. Whether you decide to use WhatsApp is up to you. But many people/friends from all over the world, most likely use WhatsApp, so inevitably you have to use it if you want to talk to them.

Conclusion
So WhatsApp is one solid app and makes it the most used messaging app in most of the world. It's not perfect, mainly because of its ownership by Facebook. But it is an important way to talk to many people in the world.