The Correct Way to Log Out of WhatsApp Web

From email to texting to chat-streaming, WhatsApp Web has given millions of people a tool that allows them to continue their conversations as if they were sitting at a computer. It’s a great way to stay productive and be more convenient, but there’s a big responsibility with all of this convenience: keeping your data safe. Many users simply close the tab that they’re on so that the conversation ends there. But that doesn’t mean that you’re logged out of WhatsApp Web. You need to click either “Kleinlogoff”, or “Sign Off”.

Why Simply Closing the Tab is a Major Security Risk

When you first scan the QR code to connect your phone to WhatsApp Web, your browser sets up a persistent connection with your account. So closing the browser window or tab does not break this connection. Just take a similar analogy from someone who went to leave their house and locked the door instead of just locking the door and not turning the key. So if someone gets onto your computer, they can go into your browser, click on Masuk WhatsApp Web and just see all of your messages. There is no need for your phone to re-scan again. They get full access to your account. It is an absolute risk for shared, public, or office computers.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Properly Logging Out

Logging out properly is very quick and should become part of your habit. Follow these steps to ensure you account is completely unconnected from the computer session.

• When the Web Sessions Opening: Open your computer’s browser and go to web. whatsapp. com. Make sure you are at the main chat screen.
• (Dropdown menu) ) (click the Menu Icon): The three vertical dots in the top left corner of the WhatsApp Web interface, just above the list of your chats, are called the Menu Icon. Click it to open a dropdown menu.
• Select ‘Log out’: From the list of options that appear, click the ‘Log out’ button. It’s usually at the bottom of the menu.
• Confirm the action: You’ll see a confirmation popup asking if you want to log out. This is very important to remember in order to prevent unintentional disconnections. Click “Log out” to confirm.

Once you confirm this message, the session will be terminated and the browser screen will go back to the previous QR code login page to indicate successful and secure logout. The next time you (or anyone else you want) want to use WhatsApp Web on that browser will require you (or someone else) to have physical access to your phone and scan the QR code again.

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The Nuclear Option: Logging Out from Your Phone

What if you are not at the computer you logged in on? Maybe you used a public library computer and forgot to log out, or you think a session has been running on a device that you no longer have access to. You can remotely log out of all your WhatsApp Web sessions from your smartphone app.

• Open WhatsApp on your phone.
• On Android you can tap the three dots at the top right ( on iPhone go to ‘Settings ’ ).
• Select ‘Linked devices’.
• Below you will find a list of all computers on which your WhatsApp Web currently hangs on.
• Click ‘Log out from all devices’ at the bottom of the screen.

This feature will immediately quit all active WhatsApp Web session on every computer, thus taking complete control from the palm of your hand. It ‘s also a good practice in terms of security to keep checking this list.

Best Practices for Using WhatsApp Web Securely

Because apart from logging out correctly you should have a few smart habits to keep WhatsApp Web more secure.

• Use Only On Trusted Computers Avoid logging into your account on public or shared computers, or else you should be super careful about logging out completely afterward.
• Turning On Two-Step Verification will give you another layer of protection for your account itself. You cannot set up WhatsApp Web (no matter how nifty your SIM card is) without your own personal PIN.
• Check Linked Devices Once in a while, check the ‘Linked devices’ section of your phone app every week or so to make sure no unrelated sessions are running.
• Update your browser! An updated browser will help you get the latest security patches, protecting your WhatsApp Web session from potential vulnerabilities.

Conclusion: A Small Action for Major Peace of Mind

Paying no more than 15 seconds extra to properly log out of WhatsApp Web is, in many ways, an act of self-protection. As the new digital world moves more and more into the private world of social networks, the Internet represents an invaluable tool for protecting personal, financial and professional data. When you practice proper logout procedures on a regular basis, you are making a huge step toward protecting your digital life.