Are you afraid that the owner Facebook will read WhatsApp along with the chat service? Or are you concerned about the future of the platform? Switch to one of the many alternatives, such as the handy Telegram. That app works largely the same as WhatsApp but also offers some useful extras, such as the possibility to chat from any device: even your iPad!
Tip 01: Why switch?
Doubts regularly arise about the extent to which your privacy is protected in WhatsApp, partly fueled by unrest at the top (see box). But a vulnerability that was found in May does not help either. A bug allowed the installation of spy software, which could even be used to eavesdrop on the smartphone. All this despite the end-to-end encryption, which ensures that messages in encrypted form leave your device and are only made readable again at the recipient. It might be a bit rigorous to immediately throw WhatsApp from your phone, but it doesn't hurt to use an alternative (possibly next to it). For example, Telegram, which works about the same and also offers almost the same options. Just keep in mind that you may also need to convince your friends and family to make the switch! Almost everyone has WhatsApp and can be reached on it, but with Telegram the chance that you can chat with everyone is much smaller. Finally, it must be said that the alternatives do not have to be free of bugs. Keep that in mind and always make sure all your apps are up to date. At least that closes the WhatsApp leak.
Unrest at WhatsApp
It has been restless at Facebook for a long time, but also at WhatsApp, which has been in the hands of Facebook for about five years. For a long time, Facebook kept the basics of the chat app intact, but it has an emphatic desire to do something more actively with WhatsApp. For example, there are rumors that Facebook also wants to show advertisements in WhatsApp. It also rumbles at the top of WhatsApp. The original founder, Jan Koum, resigned last year out of dissatisfaction with the course Facebook wants to take. A few privacy issues in particular played a role in this. His then-appointed successor, Chris Daniels, left in March this year. Incidentally, together with Chris Cox, who was head of product development at Facebook at the time.
Tip 02: From any device
In Telegram, just like with WhatsApp, your phone number is used as a login account on your smartphone (Android or iOS). An advantage of Telegram compared to WhatsApp is that you can chat even more easily from multiple devices. This is possible because all your messages and files, such as photos and videos, are stored in the cloud. If your smartphone is on the charger for a while, you can just grab another device to handle messages. And you can even do that on a tablet!
For each new device, you have to grab the smartphone for the one-time authorization. How does that work? Your Telegram adventure starts with the registration on your smartphone where you enter your phone number. The phone number will be checked automatically, after which you can start chatting. On another device, such as an iPad, when registering, enter the same phone number followed by a login code you receive on your smartphone to confirm it's you. You can also use Telegram easily from your PC, for example with the program Telegram Desktop (Windows or Mac) or with a browser at //web.telegram.org. The registration is done in the same way. It is true that WhatsApp also supports the possibility to chat via software (WhatsApp Desktop) or browser (WhatsApp Web), but that always requires a somewhat clumsy connection with your smartphone.
A big advantage of Telegram is that you can easily chat from multiple devices More alternatives to WhatsApp
Telegram is of course not the only alternative to WhatsApp. A good and relatively popular alternative is Signal, which is also recommended by privacy activist Edward Snowden. The app is known for its strong end-to-end encryption. Distinctive compared to WhatsApp – and very nice with regard to user privacy – is that Signal tries to keep as little so-called metadata about conversations as possible. These are data such as: who are your contacts, who are you in contact with, at what time and from which location. A disadvantage of Signal is that it does not offer nearly as many options as WhatsApp and Telegram. Other notable, well-secured but not very well-known alternatives are Threema and Wire.
Tip 03: Exchange files
A downside of Telegram storing everything on servers in the cloud is that it is theoretically a little less secure. Fortunately, the servers are located on European territory and you are protected by European legislation. In addition, Telegram has a secret chat facility, which you can start directly from the menu. That is a confidential exchange of messages between two devices that is encrypted from start to finish and if you want it is even destroyed after a configurable time. What is an advantage of cloud storage is that hardly any storage capacity is needed on your device itself. You can even reduce that to a minimum (see next tip). Moreover, with Telegram you can easily send (very) large files up to 1.5 GB. A generous limit, especially when compared to WhatsApp which accepts files up to 100MB. From a chat, just tap the paperclip and attach the file. What also works is sharing a file from another app or the file manager with Telegram.
With Telegram you can send very large files to each other, up to 1.5 GB Tip 04: Limit Storage
Are you constantly running out of space on your Android smartphone? WhatsApp is often one of the culprits because it will keep all the photos, videos and files exchanged on your device. With Telegram you can easily reduce the storage usage of the app. Because everything is in the cloud, the app itself really only needs a (small) local cache. Through Settings / Data & Storage / Storage Usage you can manage how big that cache can get. You can choose to store all media on your device for three days, a week, month or forever. The most economical setting, three days, is ideal on a budget device with limited capacity! You can also clean the cache in no time in this same menu. As soon as you request access to it, the files are always retrieved from Telegram again.
Tip 05: Multiple accounts
Telegram allows you to use and switch between multiple accounts in the same app. This allows you to use multiple phone numbers, for example for private and work. The Android version has had this feature since the end of 2017. On the iPhone or iPad, this has been possible since February this year. It is of course ideal on a dual SIM smartphone, because then you can chat via both numbers. But you can of course also add a phone number from another device, as long as you have access to that device during the one-time verification step. In total you can add up to three accounts (with different phone numbers). You can easily switch between those set accounts via the menu. By default you will receive notifications for all accounts, but you can adjust that via the settings if you wish.
Tip 06: Secure access
Someone who gets their hands on your smartphone could potentially also view your chats and also the photos you exchanged. Fortunately, you can easily prevent this by setting a passcode. For this you go to Settings / Privacy & Security / Passcode Lock. You can connect a timer to this, which ensures that chats are automatically locked after a certain period of inactivity. Do you forget the access code? Then you will have to uninstall Telegram and then install it again. At that step, your secret chats will be lost.
Set your own preferences in detail, from the look to the notificationsTip 07: Full control!
You can adjust Telegram to your preferences in detail. For example, you can adjust the text size, choose a light or dark color scheme and there is an automatic night mode. With Android you can even look up and install complete themes. Search for this in Telegram for example Android Themes Channel, a special channel where countless themes are exchanged. If you want, you can even put together a completely custom theme according to your preference. Notifications are also fully adjustable via Settings / Notifications & Sounds. Here you can, for example, conveniently silence certain (busy) chat groups. Or you can opt for regular chats, for example a custom notification sound or a different LED color, depending on the capabilities of your device. Via the option Add exception you can even choose custom settings for each contact, such as a special sound or pop-up notification for messages from important people.
Tip 08: Calling
Although WhatsApp has basically remained the same in recent years, there have of course been some interesting innovations with, among other things, calling and video calling. Telegram can partly participate in this. For example, you can easily send audio messages and video messages in your chat window. Since 2017, Telegram also offers high-quality mutual calls. You can via Settings / Privacy & Security choose who can call you and add exceptions if necessary. A difference with WhatsApp is that calls can also be made from a PC, with Telegram Desktop. Video calling is not yet possible with Telegram, but what is not, may come.
