By default, anyone who has your phone number can add you to a WhatsApp group, which is how many people end up in spam "trading tips" or "job" groups. Change Settings › Privacy › Groups to My contacts and strangers can no longer add you directly.
On Android
- Tap ⋮ › Settings › Privacy.
- Tap Groups.
- Choose My contacts (or My contacts except...).
On iPhone
- Tap Settings › Privacy › Groups.
- Choose My Contacts (or My Contacts Except...), then go back to save.
This can be changed only on the phone, not on WhatsApp Web or the computer app.
What the choices mean
- Everyone: anyone with your number can add you, even people not saved in your phone.
- My contacts: only people saved in your phone's Contacts can add you directly.
- My contacts except...: as above, but you pick saved contacts who still cannot add you, for example a relative who keeps adding you to forward groups.
What happens when a stranger tries
They cannot add you. Instead, WhatsApp lets them send you a private group invite in a personal chat. You can accept it or ignore it; it expires after three days. They can also still send you an invite link, but joining is always your choice.
Already in a spam group?
- Open the group and tap its name.
- Scroll down and tap Report group (you can also choose to exit while reporting), or Exit group.
- If one admin keeps adding you, open their message in the group, tap their name and choose Block.
More: leave a group and block and report.
If it doesn't work
- Still being added: the person is saved in your Contacts. Use My contacts except... or delete their number.
- Old groups remain: the setting only stops new additions. Leave old groups yourself.
Looking for good groups instead?
If you want to join groups and channels on purpose, browse a directory where you read what a group is about before joining, such as our own Share directory, and check members are real before trusting anyone.
Safety tip
Groups promising "100% profit stock tips", "work from home, earn ₹5,000 daily" or "task jobs liking YouTube videos" are scams. They pay a little at first, then ask you to "invest" more. Leave and report such groups immediately; see WhatsApp scam messages.
This is GroupChatOn’s own easy guide. We are not WhatsApp and are not linked with WhatsApp or Meta. WhatsApp sometimes changes its menus: if a button looks different on your phone, update WhatsApp from the Play Store or App Store.
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Questions, or an error not listed here?
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