Want to Take a Break from WhatsApp Without Deleting? Read This!

If you wish to take a break from WhatsApp without deleting it, we will cover a step-by-step guide below. Although WhatsApp is a convenient platform to stay in touch with your loved ones and acquaintances, sometimes you would want to get rid of it temporarily.

But that doesn’t mean you need to uninstall the app or delete your account. There are ways in which you can get rid of  WhatsApp buzz for some time keeping your account and app on your device intact. Here are the splendid ways to take a break from WhatsApp without deleting it.

Turn Off WhatsApp Notifications

If you wish not to get notified about the messages you get on WhatsApp, you can turn off its notifications. WhatsApp allows you to switch off notifications of a private chat, group chat, or all the app notifications. The steps are the same to mute a chat Or group however, the steps to mute the app might vary for Android and iOS devices, as mentioned below. 

On Android:

1. Go to your app home page and long-press the WhatsApp icon. 
2. Select App info and tap Manage notifications. 
3. Switch off the toggle button in front of the Allow notification.

On iPhone:

1. Launch settings on your iOS device and scroll down to find WhatsApp. 
2. Tap notification. 
3. Toggle the Allow notification radio button off. 

On Browser:

1. If you use WhatsApp via a browser on a PC, you can use the below steps to turn its notifications off. 
2. Launch the browser and open WhatsApp web. 
3. Tap the gear icon to get into its settings. 
4. Tap Notifications and turn off messages, calls, and reaction notifications. 

You can also turn off either messages or call notifications as per your requirement. If you wish to take a complete break from WhatsApp, turn off all its notifications. 

Switch Off Mobile Data & Background Data

An alternative if you don’t want to turn off notifications is to turn off mobile data. If you don’t have an active internet connection on your device, you will not receive any messages or calls on WhatsApp. It’s a good way if you want an escape from your virtual friends temporarily. 

You can also turn off WhatsApp background data usage. This way, no need to turn off the internet on your mobile device, you can enjoy the network on all the other apps except for WhatsApp.

You can use below simple steps below if you wish to turn off mobile data on your device:

On Android:

• Launch the Settings app on your Android device and go to App Management.
• Scroll down in the app list to find WhatsApp.
• Click Data Usage Details and turn off the toggle button in front of the Background Data option.

If you didn’t find the option to disable background data on your Android device using the above steps, you can use a reliable firewall to prevent WhatsApp internet access. You can provide limited internet access to any app on your device using a firewall, however, make sure you use an authentic one to ensure data safety.

On iPhone:

• Launch Settings on your iPhone.
• Scroll down to navigate to WhatsApp and expand its settings.
• Switch off the toggle button next to Cellular Data and Background app refresh to turn off the internet usage on WhatsApp.

Hide Last Seen & Turn Off Read Receipts

If you want to become invisible on WhatsApp, without disconnecting the internet or deleting the app, then you can use WhatsApp privacy features. It includes turning off your read receipts, the blue tick, and hiding the last seen. If you want a break from WhatsApp, using either of the features can help you do so. 

When you hide last seen, nobody can see when you were last active on WhatsApp. Similarly, if you turn the read receipt off, they won’t of you have seen their message or not. A combination of both these features can be helpful, but if you turn off either of the two, you can avoid WhatsApp chats.

If you wish to hide the last seen and turn off Read Receipts, use the simple steps below. Please note that these steps are common irrespective of the mobile device you use. You can even apply these features on WhatsApp web. Additionally, these are account-specific and once applied to your account in one device, it will automatically be implemented on all the other platforms.

1. Launch WhatsApp on your Android or iOS device. In Android, tap the three-dot icon from the top right corner and select Settings. On iPhone, tap the Settings gear icon from the bottom right of the screen.
2. Go to Privacy.
3. Scroll down to find the Last seen and online, and mark it as Nobody to hide your last seen and online status.
4. Turn off the read receipt toggle to remove blue ticks from your message.

But please note, when you incorporate these changes, you won’t be able to see read receipts of the sender and their online status. However, you will always have the flexibility to update these privacy settings as per your requirements.

Force Stop WhatsApp

If you want to appear offline on WhatsApp, you can force stop the app and you will stop getting its notification. However, it will normally start functioning as soon as you open it again. However, the iPhone doesn’t allow you to force-stop an app. Thus, this feature is limited to Android users only. You can either turn off background data refresh or turn off notifications on iOS devices. This is also a finest way to take a break from WhatsApp without deleting it.

You can use the below steps to force-stop WhatsApp.

On Android:

1. Go to device settings and open Apps
2. Scroll down to find WhatsApp and tap it.
3. Click the Force Stop button and confirm the change.

Wind Up 

Although its good to stay connected with your loved ones and known individuals, sometimes it becomes overwhelming, and you might want a break from social media. If you resonate with the feeling and want to get away from WhatsApp, you can use the above steps to take a break from WhatsApp without deleting it.

No doubt, these are temporary solutions, and you can switch back to normal usage whenever needed. But they will eliminate the need to uninstall the app or delete your account permanently.