WhatsApp users can now chat easily even after internet shutdown: How to use the new feature

As our reliability on the internet is increasing with each passing day, a few governments across the globe are using internet shutdown as a powerful tool to suppress dissent. For those who do not know, through an internet shutdown, governments can restrict access to specific websites or platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram and others. The governments are able to order internet shutdown through coordination with public and private internet service providers. One of the recent instances where internet shutdown was used to suppress the voice of people was seen in Iran where the women are protesting against hijab rules. To help users to communicate during an internet shutdown, WhatsApp has rolled out proxy support for WhatsApp users all over the world. 

What is WhatsApp proxy support and how does it work

As the name suggests, proxy support allows users to connect to WhatsApp through servers set up by volunteers and organisations around the world. If you have internet access, you can search through social media or search engines for trusted sources that have created a proxy. To know how to connect to a proxy server for WhatsApp, you can follow these steps:

How to connect to proxy on Android phone

1. In the Chats tab, tap More options > Settings.
2. Tap Storage and Data > Proxy.
3. Tap Use Proxy.
4. Tap Set Proxy and enter the proxy address.
5. Tap Save.
6. A check mark will show if the connection is successful.
7. 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.

How to connect to proxy on Apple iPhone

1. Go to WhatsApp Settings.
2. Tap Storage and Data > Proxy.
3. Tap Use Proxy.
4. Enter the proxy address and tap Save to connect.
5. A check mark will show if the connection is successful.
6. 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.

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According to WhatsApp’s blog, “Connecting via proxy maintains the high level of privacy and security that WhatsApp provides. Your personal messages will still be protected by end-to-end encryption — ensuring they stay between you and the person you’re communicating with and are not visible to anyone in between, not the proxy servers, WhatsApp, or Meta.”

It is worth noting that use of a third-party proxy will share your IP address with the proxy provider. Third-party proxies aren't provided by WhatsApp.