The Meta-owned calling and messaging platform WhatsApp will soon roll out a new privacy feature called 'Alternate Profile' to add one more layer of privacy for users. Currently, this feature is under development and is not available to beta testers. However, according to reports, the WhatsApp Alternate Profile feature will shortly be available to all users.
The main purpose behind introducing Alternate Profile is to mask the original profile of users, as a stride to enhance the security and user experience. This new feature will be quite beneficial for users who do not want to share their profile with everyone. Let us read all the important details about WhatsApp's Alternate Profile feature below.
What Is WhatsApp's Alternate Profile Feature?
According to Wabetainfo, "A new alternate profile feature will be available within the privacy screen regarding our profile photo and it allows users to configure a different photo and name that will be visible to those contacts who cannot see their primary profile information. For example, if only your contacts can see your profile photo, this means that people outside your contact list cannot see it but they will be able to see your alternate profile picture. It’s worth noting that the same feature will also be accessible within your profile section."
How To Use WhatsApp's Alternate Profile Feature?
Once launched, users can use the WhatsApp Alternate Profile feature by following the below steps:
Open the WhatsApp application.
Go to the settings>Privacy>Profile Photo
Select 'My Contacts' so that only your contacts can see your primary profile photo.
Now you will see an 'Alternate Profile'.
Create an alternate profile like you did the original profile.
Update the settings.
Now, you have created an alternate profile, which will be visible to only those users that you wish.
Benefits of WhatsApp Alternate Profile Feature
According to Wabetainfo, " The alternate profile feature can serve as a protective shield: it will be adding a new layer of security and privacy to the user experience as they have finally more control over their information. In fact, users will be able to maintain a higher level of privacy by configuring an alternate profile and choosing different information in the future."
"In addition, we think that this feature will prove highly advantageous once the ability to set up a WhatsApp username becomes available in the future. Many users opt to restrict profile photo visibility to their contacts only. By setting up an alternate profile, even users who contact you through a username will still have access to view your profile, but it will be different from your primary one," stated Wabetainfo.
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