In this article we see how to eliminate this annoyance and avoid being added to groups in this way.

How not to get added to WhatsApp groups

Apparently, all WhatsApp users    can be added to any WhatsApp group, even if they are not included in the contact list. There is apparently no way around it. Most of us are in groups just to offend anyone. And there is more! Any  admin   can   re -add  you even after you are gone. It is really annoying!

Thankfully, there are several alternative methods on  WhatsApp  to regain freedom among the tons  of   WhatsApp groups .

Let’s see what they are and how to do it:

Official method to prevent being added to WhatsApp groups:

1. Open WhatsApp on your phone
2. Go to  Settings> Accounts> Privacy  .
3. Click on  Groups
4. Select the option that suits you best from:

• None (this prevents everyone from adding you to a group without an invite)
• My contacts  (only your contacts can add you to a group without an invitation)
• Anyone  (anyone can add you to a group without an invite)

But don’t worry if you set your group’s privacy settings to “none”. You will still be able to join groups. If you have set “None”, the group administrator can send you a private message invitation with a link that will allow you to join the group. If you click this link within 72 hours, you will be added to the group. If not, the link will expire and that group will no longer be your problem.

Alternative technique 1: silence a WhatsApp group

Muting  a WhatsApp group is the simplest method. If you no longer want to participate in group discussions, put silence and whoever has seen has seen. This will sync the messages with your device and you can review the group at any time. But the notifications   and   alerts   will be   silenced .

Let’s see the steps to do it on  Android phones and iPhones.

Mute a WhatsApp group on Android:

1. Open the WhatsApp app on your Android phone.
2. Long press on the WhatsApp group you want to mute.
3. Press the Mute  icon (Speaker icon) at the top.
4. Choose the duration to silence the group (  8 hours, 1 week or 1 year  ). The maximum duration you can select is one year.
5. Click OK.

Mute WhatsApp group on iPhone:

1. Open the WhatsApp app on your iPhone.
2. Swipe the group to the left.
3. Tap More and choose Silent.
4. Choose how long you want to silence.

Alternative Technique 2: Block WhatsApp Group Admins

In case you want to leave the group permanently, then the silent mode doesn’t help. And, in any case, even if you abound the group you can be added again.

So let’s see a permanent solution to prevent admins from adding you back to the group. The idea is simple: block administrators. The important thing is to remember to do it with all the administrators of the WhatsApp group, if they are more than one.

PS. If you think you’ve been blocked on WhatsApp and want to find out, read here: How to find out if you’ve been blocked on WhatsApp .

Block administrators of a WhatsApp group on Android:

1. Open the WhatsApp app on your Android smartphone.
2. Click on the group you want to leave.
3. Click on  the  group name  at the top of the chat window.
4. Scroll down to see the list of group members, including admins.
5. Click on the name of the administrators in the full list.
6. Choose “View contact”.
7. Scroll to the bottom and tap  Block  .
8. Confirm block.
9. After locking the admin, go back to the group information page.
10. Tap  Leave Group,  then choose  Leave  .

After locking the admin   and leaving the   group , the admin will not be able to add you again. In this case, only the blocked admin will not be able to add you. In the meantime,  other admins   will be able   to add you again . Therefore,     all   administrators must be locked out  before leaving the group for permanent exit to take   effect.

Block WhatsApp group admins on iPhone:

1. Open the  WhatsApp app   on your   iPhone   .
2. Scroll to the group you want to leave permanently and   slide it to the left.
3. Click on More .
4. Choose    the   menu group information .
5. Scroll down to see the list of     WhatsApp group members   and   administrators .
6. Tap one of the administrators and choose ” View Contact  “.
7. Scroll down to see the actions.
8. Press   Lock   and confirm the   lock .
9. After locking the profile, you can now go back to   the WhatsApp group information  .
10. Scroll down and select   Leave group.

The mentioned solution will prevent the admin from adding you to the group. He just remembers that when you block someone, you can’t text them, see their details, status, and create a group with you.