WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to send messages, images, videos and make voice and video calls. However, sometimes you may want to mute WhatsApp notifications temporarily, like when you are in a meeting, sleeping or just need some distraction-free time. So can you mute WhatsApp as a whole? Let’s find out.
Quick Answer
Yes, it is possible to mute WhatsApp completely for a set duration on Android and iOS devices. On Android, you can mute all WhatsApp notifications for 8 hours, 1 week or 1 year from the app settings. On iPhone, you can mute WhatsApp or even turn off all notifications for all apps using Do Not Disturb mode.
Muting WhatsApp on Android
There are a couple of straightforward ways to mute WhatsApp notifications on Android devices:
Method 1: Mute from WhatsApp Settings
1. Open WhatsApp and tap on the 3-dot menu in the top right.
2. Go to Settings > Notifications.
3. Under ‘Notifications’, you can choose between 8 hours, 1 week or 1 year to mute all WhatsApp notifications.
4. Tap on your selection and confirm. This will mute all WhatsApp notifications for that duration.
Method 2: Mute from System Settings
1. Open your Android device’s Settings app.
2. Tap on ‘Apps & notifications’.
3. Select ‘See all apps’.
4. Find WhatsApp in the list and tap on it.
5. Tap on ‘Notifications’ and toggle off all the notification options.
This will mute all types of notifications from WhatsApp. To unmute, just toggle them on again.
Muting WhatsApp on iPhone
On iPhones, you can use Do Not Disturb mode or adjust notification settings to mute WhatsApp:
Method 1: Use Do Not Disturb Mode
1. Open Settings and go to Do Not Disturb.
2. Toggle on ‘Do Not Disturb’ to activate it. This will mute all notifications.
3. You can schedule when to automatically turn on Do Not Disturb.
4. To mute only WhatsApp, tap on ‘Do Not Disturb’ again and select ‘Apps’ under Silence.
5. Select WhatsApp to mute only notifications from this app.
Method 2: Adjust Notifications Settings
1. Go to Settings > Notifications.
2. Scroll down and select WhatsApp.
3. Toggle off ‘Allow Notifications’ to disable all WhatsApp notifications.
4. You can also adjust notification style and sounds here.
This will mute WhatsApp notifications until you manually turn them back on.
How to Unmute WhatsApp
When you want to start receiving WhatsApp notifications again, just reverse the steps:
On Android:
– Go back to WhatsApp Settings > Notifications and select a shorter mute duration or turn all notifications on.
– Or go to System Settings > Apps & notifications > WhatsApp > Notifications and toggle notifications on.
On iPhone:
– Turn off Do Not Disturb or go back to its settings and remove WhatsApp from silenced apps.
– Go to Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp and toggle ‘Allow Notifications’ back on.
This will re-enable all notification sounds and alerts from WhatsApp.
Muting Individual WhatsApp Chats
If you only want to mute notifications from specific chats instead of your whole WhatsApp, that’s easy too:
On Android
1. Open the WhatsApp chat you want to mute.
2. Tap on the name of the chat at the top.
3. Select ‘Mute’ and choose a duration to mute notifications.
On iPhone
1. Swipe left on the WhatsApp chat you want to mute.
2. Tap on ‘More’.
3. Choose to mute the chat for 8 hours, 1 week or 1 year.
This will silence notifications only from these individual chats while keeping other WhatsApp conversations unaffected. You can unmute them the same way.
Turning Off WhatsApp Notification Sounds
If you don’t want to completely mute WhatsApp but just turn off notification sounds, that’s possible too:
On Android devices:
1. Go to WhatsApp Settings.
2. Tap Notifications > Sound.
3. Select ‘None’ to turn off all notification sounds.
On iPhones:
1. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics.
2. Under ‘Sounds and Vibration Patterns’, select WhatsApp.
3. Choose ‘None’ to turn off all notification sounds.
You will still get visual notification banners but no audible alerts. You can customize the notification sound for specific chats from WhatsApp Settings as well.
Disabling WhatsApp Badge App Icon
Both iOS and Android allow disabling the notification badge (red dot) on the WhatsApp app icon:
On Android:
1. Long press the WhatsApp icon.
2. Tap the ‘i’ button in the top right corner.
3. Toggle off ‘Show badges’ option.
On iPhone:
1. Go to Settings > Notifications.
2. Scroll down and select WhatsApp.
3. Toggle off ‘Badge App Icon’ option.
This will remove the notification badge from the WhatsApp icon. You won’t see a number indicating unread messages or calls.
Conclusion
– You can mute notifications from the whole WhatsApp app temporarily or indefinitely on both Android and iPhone.
– Do Not Disturb mode on iPhones allows muting WhatsApp and other apps.
– Individual WhatsApp chats can also be muted separately.
– Notification sounds from WhatsApp can be turned off while keeping banners.
– The notification badge on the WhatsApp icon can also be disabled for a cleaner look.
So in summary, yes there are easy ways to mute the whole WhatsApp app or customize notifications from specific chats on your smartphone. This allows you to avoid unwanted distractions when needed without missing out on important messages.
| Platform | Mute Whole App | Mute Chats |
|---|---|---|
| Android | – Settings > Notifications | – Chat info > Mute |
| iPhone | – Do Not Disturb | – Swipe left > More > Mute |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I mute a WhatsApp group?
Yes, you can mute a WhatsApp group for 8 hours, 1 week or 1 year just like individual chats. This will mute notifications from the group while allowing notifications from other chats and groups.
Will my WhatsApp messages be deleted if I mute the app?
No, muting WhatsApp does not delete or remove any of your messages. It simply mutes incoming notification sounds and banners temporarily. All your chats and messages will remain intact.
Can I mute WhatsApp calls?
Yes, when you mute WhatsApp as a whole either from system settings or by enabling Do Not Disturb, it will mute incoming WhatsApp call ringtones and notifications.
What if I get an important message while WhatsApp is muted?
You can still open WhatsApp manually and check for new messages. Also, muting is temporary – notifications will resume after the muted period is over. For Android, you can set to 1 year max but iOS Do Not Disturb has no time limit.
Will muting WhatsApp on my phone mute it on WhatsApp Web?
Unfortunately no. Muting notifications on your phone from system settings or WhatsApp only applies to that device. Notifications and sounds on WhatsApp Web are controlled separately.
