By John Ikani
WhatsApp, an instant messaging platform owned by Meta, has announced that it has launched proxy support, which allows users to connect to WhatsApp through servers set up by volunteers and organizations around the world.
This feature was introduced in response to internet shutdowns in countries like Iran, which have denied people the ability to communicate with their loved ones.
WhatsApp has assured users that their privacy is maintained while using the proxy servers, as messages are still protected by end-to-end encryption.
Android and iPhone users can connect to the proxy servers by following specific steps in their device’s settings.
For Android users
• Make sure you are using the most current version of WhatsApp.
• In the Chats tab, tap More options > Settings.
• Tap Storage and Data > Proxy.
• Tap Use Proxy.
• Tap Set Proxy and enter the proxy address.
• Tap Save.
• A check mark will show if the connection is successful.
• If you are still unable to send or receive WhatsApp messages using a proxy, that proxy may have been blocked. You can long-press the blocked proxy address to delete it, then enter a new proxy address to try again.
For iPhone users
• Make sure you are using the most current version of WhatsApp.
• Go to WhatsApp Settings.
• Tap Storage and Data > Proxy.
• Tap Use Proxy.
• Enter the proxy address and tap Save to connect.
• A check mark will show if the connection is successful.
• If you are still unable to send or receive WhatsApp messages using a proxy, that proxy may have been blocked. Try again using a different proxy address.
It is worthwhile to note that the use of a third-party proxy will share the user’s IP address with the proxy provider.
