We are living in a world where textual communication is used exclusively by web traffic. Don’t believe us? Let’s take a look at this research that states that messaging apps have overtaken the number one spot of the traditional SMS as early as 2012.
Yeah, that was the year the phones like Samsung Galaxy S3, Apple iPhone 5, and HTC One X were still considered cutting-edge devices.
In the meantime, a lot has changed.
The good old SMS messaging is mostly relegated to the duty of service-payment and two-factor authentication. Any causal observant would say that the rest of the market cake is split between two biggest messaging heavy hitters, Viber and WhatsApp.
Well, things are not that simple.
If you belong to the WhatsApp camp, you will be glad to know that, as of recently, one exciting alternative started gaining a lot of traction. We are, of course, talking about the unofficial version of the app, WhatsApp Plus.
What’s the Difference Between WhatsApp Plus and WhatsApp?
Essentially, WhatsApp Plus is a modified version of the Google Play WhatsApp app that solves some of the issues we had with the official release – namely, it allows a certain level of customization and adds a couple of neat features.
Or at least, this was the case when the Spanish developer and WhatsApp enthusiast Rafalete released this mod back in 2012.
Since then, WhatsApp Plus grew and evolved.
Here are a couple of main features that set this mod apart from the official release in 2019.
Themes
Much to the delight of the devoted fans, WhatsApp Plus finally introduces the option to quickly download and change the theme of the app. As of now, the database contains more than 700 available themes.
Emojis
Since the basic WhatsApp emoji library is pretty barren, WhatsApp Plus introduces the option to share the library with Google Hangouts. However, these emojis can‘t be seen by regular WhatsApp users.
Increased file size
In the official WhatsApp app, the size of the shared files is pretty strict (50MB videos, 100MB audio). WhatsApp allows you to modify the size limit of the shared images and video files. This way, you are allowed to share your data without losing any of the quality.
WhatsApp ++ Visual Adjustments
Finally, WhatsApp Plus allows you to make other visual adjustments like making changes to the size of the header, the images of your contacts, and so on.
Of course, these are only the most noticeable features. The latest iteration of the app (WhatsApp Plus 2019) introduces other minor tweaks like:
- Anti-ban features
- The option to sort messages by time and date
- Send private replies in groups
- The pin chat limit is bumped to 30
- Revoked messages now send notifications
- Enabled UPI payment features
- Video Call capabilities
- Now you can share PDF, TXT and other document types
- Status limit increased to 255 characters
However, the best thing about this whole idea is that WhatsApp Plus uses the original WhatsApp servers which means, you get all the benefits of official high-level encryption as well as the ability to communicate with the vast base of the current WhatsApp and WhatsApp Plus users.
However, being the mod of an official release, WhatsApp Plus can’t be downloaded from Google Play or, for that matter, any other official app store.
And you know what that means, right?
Yeah, installing WhatsApp Plus on your phone and maintaining the app requires a bit more time and effort than you might be used to. But, it’s far from something that can’t be managed by an average user. Here, we will take a look at how to perform this task on the two remaining major mobile Operating Systems – Android and iOS.
How to install WhatsApp Plus on Android
Let us first start with the easier out of the two options – Android OS – that has always been more open-minded in terms of third-party apps and open source development.
- The first thing you will need to do is to find the APK file of the latest iteration of WhatsApp Plus. To save you some trouble, we are going to link the app here. As for the very app, its version number is 8.05, its size 55.1 MB, and the official release date 17 Oct 2019. The app is supported by Android versions 4.0 and more recent.
- If you already have an older version of WhatsApp Plus installed on your phone, you will first need to uninstall it. Not the most intuitive thing to do, but that’s how the update of unofficial apps works. So, go to Settings, then open Applications (in some versions Applications and notifications), and you’ll get the full list of installed apps. Find WhatsApp Plus, click on it, and then choose the Uninstall option.
- Once you download the app to your device, try to open it (find where it’s downloaded, click on it and then press the Install button). The phone will give you a warning that you are trying to install the app from an Unknown Source and prompt you to change this permission in the device’s Settings (click on the Settings option). If you end up lost, this setting can be found under the Security -> Lock screen and security hub.
- Give Android permission to install the app. All you need to do is to tick the box or toggle the switch next to the Unknown sources inscription. In the more recent Android versions (starting with 8.0), the process is somewhat different. Namely, the install permissions are given on a per-app basis. So, instead of being transferred to global settings, you will be prompted to give permission directly in the app settings. However, the process is very similar. Toggle the switch next to the Allow from this source inscription, and you are good to go.
- Now, the app should be properly installed. Now make the tweaks you want and take the full backup of your app settings (just to save you some trouble during the next installation). Open the WhatsApp Plus app, go to Settings -> Chat -> Backup and choose the option that allows you to save the settings in the cloud.
How it install WhatsApp++ on iOS?
As we can see, getting around the permissions in the Android ecosystem is not that hard.
Apple’s line of products is an entirely different beast.
First, and foremost, this company is famous for its insistence on strict restrictions and highly controlled OS environment. That is perfectly understandable – smooth iOS performance has to come from somewhere.
As you would expect, these limitations are not quite in tune with unofficial third-party apps. This problem has two solutions. The first is to “jailbreak” your device. That would mean installing a series of patches and updates that are effectively removing harsh security restrictions built into iOS.
However, “jailbreaking” (“unlocking”) is a practice Apple considers to be a violation of warranty, so trying it is highly discouraged.
We will put our focus on the second, far more acceptable option. That would be bypassing the official iOS App Store and simply installing the app from a third-party source.
This time that mediating role goes to BuildStore – a third-party emulator that mostly consists of emulators, patches, tweaks, and other apps that are not always “up to standards” of the iOS App Store. If you are ready to pay $11.99/year per device, you will be allowed to install the BuildStore app on your device even without a jailbreak.
That brings us to WhatsApp++, the iOS version that features roughly the same features as its Android counterparts (of course, adjusted to the necessities of the OS) and allows you a similar level of customization.
So, now that we’ve gone through these exhausting but still necessary preparations let us finally see how to get WhatsApp++ on iOS?
- Register your device for BuildStore. You can easily find the link here. Once you open it, you will see a short registration form that shouldn’t be too hard to fill. The good news is that BuildStore accepts a variety of payment options like Visa, American Express, Master Card, and PayPal. The bad news is that subscription is strictly device-based, so if you’ve already paid your fee and bought a new Apple product, you won’t be able to make subscription transfer.
- Search the store for WhatsApp++. The latest version (2.19.71) was released 31 Aug 2019 and features the size of 114 MB.
- Open the link and press Install. Yeas, it’s as simple as that. From this point on, iOS takes control of the installation and treats the app like the official iOS App Store release.
We have to point out, though, that BuildStore is not the only third-party repository where WhatsApp++ can be downloaded. Other alternatives come in the form of Cydia and TweakBox. In the moment of writing, TweakBox registration required no registration fees. But, BuildStore is still considered the safest third-party option.
Why should you verify your WhatsApp Plus with a disposable number?
In one of our previous articles, we have covered in great depth the process of installing several versions of WhatsApp Plus on one device.
The idea sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?
Well yeah, because it is. Just imagine if you would verify all of the versions of WhatsApp Plus with a disposable number. Your clients, dates, and other acquaintances wouldn’t really mind. For them, a disposable phone number is just another entry in the contact card. For what it’s worth, they don’t even need to keep your contact saved – WhatsApp Plus provides all the necessary information.
For you, though, the ability to have several numbers registered on one device allows you all the benefits of dual-SIM or even triple-SIM phones without all the mess that’s usually associated with this hardware option. Dual-SIM phones often feature sub-par quality. Multiple apps can be installed even on flagship devices.
It is easy and simple to get a disposable number to protect your privacy.
1- Go to mobilesms.io and register an account on this website (only take approximately 2 minutes)
2- Log into your account and choose the country and service that you would like to use the number for. In this case, you will choose Whatsapp for the service and any countries that you want
3- Click request to get the number. Sometimes, mobilesms.io can not generate a number for you because it is out of stock for that country and service. However, please do not panic. They add more numbers quickly, so you can try to request the number later on. The best thing about this is that you will not be charged for requesting the number.
4- When you get the number, you will use that number to register for whatsapp account and verify your account on whatsapp.
5- Whatsapp will send a verification SMS code to the number. You can now go back to mobilesms.io, log in, and see the SMS code on the dashboard of your account
6- Use that code to apply and verify your whatsapp account
7- Now you are done and enjoy the features on whatsapp without being afraid of giving your own personal cell phone number
Instead of a conclusion
So, there you have it – a short introduction to WhatsApp Plus – the upgraded version of WhatsApp that retains all the right things brought to the table by the official app, while introducing a considerable number of tweaks the fans have been craving for almost a decade now. If you are interested, you have the instructions on how you get it.
The options you have on disposal are simply too tempting to say definite “no.”