Change is one of the most fundamental laws of nature, and yet we, as humans, tend to reject change as creatures of habit. But regardless of how we feel about change, you have to agree that all the great changes that have taken place in the history of mankind have contributed to making our lives better and easier in some way or the other. Everything from fire to the internet was once introduced as a change to us and now shapes the world around us.
The same is true for social media platforms. Since their inception, these platforms have undertaken many changes to cater to their users’ needs and help them connect further.
WhatsApp’s story isn’t very different from it. The platform started as an instant messenger service and is one of the most social media platforms in the world today. One of the latest changes that have taken place on the platform is the introduction of QR codes, which will be the subject of our discussion today.
If you feel like your QR code has ended up in the wrong hands, stick with us till the end to learn how to deal with this crisis.
WhatsApp QR Code: What is used for?
Although WhatsApp is now regarded as one of the oldest social media platforms, the QR code feature is a relatively recent addition to it. Launched in 2020, the QR Code was designed to take the seamlessness of its user experience to the next level.
It had multiple uses and benefits, such as saving contacts, starting conversations, participating in group chats, and using WhatsApp on the web.
While group chats have their own unique invite links, when it comes to sharing your contact or connecting to WhatsApp Web, WhatsApp provides one unique code to all its users. It’s this QR Code that we’re going to talk about in our blog today.
Here’s where you can find your QR code on WhatsApp
For those of you who haven’t needed to use their QR codes by now, we’re happy to guide you to it on the WhatsApp mobile app. Just follow these two simple steps to reach there:
Step 1: Launch WhatsApp on your smartphone. From the Chats tab you first land on, navigate the cogwheel icon at the bottom-right corner of your screen and give it a tap.
You’ll find yourself on the Settings tab next.
Step 2: On this tab, what do you see on the top? A thumbnail of your profile picture with your name and About next to it.
Towards its right, can you spot a small, circular icon with a blue QR code drawn within it?
Step 3: When you tap on this QR code, you’ll land on another tab with your WhatsApp QR Code displayed in the middle.
Did Someone Scan Your WhatsApp QR Code? Here’s How to Change It
When you opened your QR code on WhatsApp, did you pay attention to the message written below it? Well, here’s what it said: it indicated how your QR code should be kept private because when you share it with someone, they can add you to their contact by scanning it from their WhatsApp camera.
If your QR code was circulated among people without your knowledge, you might feel annoyed at all those random texts you’ve been receiving lately. Wondering how to get rid of this fiasco? Well, there’s no way to undo the act, but what you can do is block all the stranger contacts.
Another thing you must do to prevent this from spreading any further is to change your QR code. Luckily for its users, WhatsApp had already taken into account the possibility of a QR code being leaked and has provided users with an option to reset their code in such instances.
Resetting your QR code is so easy you don’t even need to follow any specific step-by-step guide to figure it out. Remember the steps we mentioned above to take you to your QR code on WhatsApp? The option to reset the code is on that very tab; in fact, present right below the QR code itself!
Once you use this option to reset your code, the older QR code, that’s presumably been leaked, will no longer be valid. And having learned a lesson from this incident, we hope you’ll be more careful with sharing your QR code in the future.
Is the QR code on your WhatsApp the same as on your WhatsApp Web?
Many WhatsApp users have expressed their concern regarding the possibility of other people being able to access their WhatsApp Web using their QR code. We’re here to put all their fears to rest today.
Let’s begin by explaining the function of your WhatsApp QR code: it is designed to help you share your contact with other WhatsApp users, connecting and communicating with them seamlessly.
However, it is not linked to your WhatsApp Web in any direct way. Let’s jog your memory a bit about logging into WhatsApp Web works. In this process, the QR code which needs to be scanned isn’t present in your mobile app but on WhatsApp’s web browser instead.
It is this code that you scan from your WhatsApp Camera that links WhatsApp Web to your account. And since the mobile app does the scanning, in this case, anyone without access to your smartphone cannot log into your WhatsApp Web. We hope it has made you rest easy.
The bottom line
With this, we conclude today’s blog. Our topic of discussion today was the QR code and its introduction to the platform of WhatsApp. We agreed on how these codes have revolutionized the platform in many ways, with the ability to use WhatsApp on the desktop being an essential one.
Later, we narrowed down on your WhatsApp QR code that helps other users share your contact instantly. We then moved ahead to explore the possibility of the QR code being leaked and its consequences.
But don’t fret, we haven’t taken your leave before solving your problem. Above, you’ll find a quick fix for resetting your QR code, along with a guide on how that’s done on WhatsApp. Do you need our help with something else on WhatsApp? Tell us your issue in the comments below, and hold on for us to return with a fix!
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