While WhatsApp makes it easy to Create Groups and add participants to Groups, it also provides the option to control who can add you to WhatsApp Groups.
On both iPhone and Android phone, the option to prevent others from adding you to WhatsApp Groups is located in the WhatsApp Privacy settings and it provides the following options.
- Everyone: Allows anyone who knows your number to add you to WhatsApp Groups.
- My Contacts: Allows only those in your Contact List to add you to WhatsApp Groups.
- My Contacts Except: Prevents selected Contacts from adding you to WhatsApp Groups.
Stop Others From Adding You to WhatsApp Groups
As mentioned above, the Privacy Settings in WhatsApp can be configured to prevent both known and unknown people from adding you to WhatsApp Groups.
You can find below the steps to prevent both known and unknown people from adding you to a WhatsApp Group.
1. Prevent Unknown People from Adding you to WhatsApp Group
Both iPhone & Android Phone provide the option to allow only those who are in your Contact List to Add you to WhatsApp, which totally prevents unknown people from adding you to WhatsApp Groups.
1. Open WhatsApp > tap on Settings tab in the bottom menu.
If you are using an Android Phone, tap on 3-dots Menu (top-right) and select Settings in the drop-down menu.
2. From WhatsApp Settings screen, go to Privacy > Groups.
3. On the Groups screen, select My Contacts option.
After this, only those people who are listed in your Contacts list will be able to Add you to WhatsApp Groups.
2. Prevent Someone from Adding you to WhatsApp Group
Both iPhone and Android Phone provide the option to prevent someone specific in your Contact List from adding you to WhatsApp Groups.
1. Open WhatsApp > tap on Settings tab in the bottom menu.
On Android Phone: Tap on 3-dots Menu (top-right) and select Settings in the drop-down menu.
2. From WhatsApp Settings screen, naviagte to Privacy > Groups > tap on My Contacts Except.
3. On the next screen, you can select the Contacts that you want to prevent from adding you to WhatsApp Groups.
You Can Still Accept WhatsApp Group Invitation
Even if you select the option to prevent unknown people from adding you to WhatsApp Group, you cannot prevent anyone from sending you an invitation to join a WhatsApp Group.
When you get an invitation to join WhatsApp Group, you can see who is in the Group by tapping on the Join group option.
If you like the Group and want to join, tap once again on the Join Group option. You need to be aware that the invitation won’t last forever, it remains open for a limited time (three days or less).