Let’s get back to the basics.

WhatsApp is our favourite messaging app, ever since we lost BlackBerry’s BBM way back when. With more than 2 billion users around the world, they must be doing something right.

For those of you unfamiliar with WhatsApp, it’s essentially a free chat app that launched in 2009. It’s a secure way of keeping your conversations private and our personal favourite aspect, there are zero ads!

WhatsApp has revolutionised over the years with new fancy features and tricks that can sometimes have you feeling overwhelmed – especially those of you just starting out in the world of WhatsApp.

We thought it made sense to strip back to the basics and start from the very beginning.

Time to download.

A good place to start is definitely downloading WhatsApp on your mobile. Whether you’re repping the latest iPhone, Samsung, Sony or something older and weirder, you can download WhatsApp today.

Providing your iPhone is running iOS 9+ and your Android is running Android 4.1, it’s easy peasy.

1) Launch the Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iPhone).

2) Search WhatsApp and hit download.

3) Open up the app and confirm requested permissions.

4) Enter your mobile phone number.

5) You’ll receive a verification code via text message to enter into WhatsApp.

That’s it, you’re good to go! From here, you can even import your entire contact list into WhatsApp or manually add them if you want to leave a few out of the mix.

Make it personal.

Everyone who uses WhatsApp has a personal profile that they can customise to whatever level they choose.

You can add a picture, your name and even a short bio that tells those who you contact, a little bit more about you.

1)     Select the three dots in the top-right corner of the app.

2)     Choose settings.

3)     Tap your name at the very top of the screen.

4)     Tap the camera icon to select a photo.

5)     Tap the pencil icon next to Name.

6)     To update your bio, select the pencil icon next to About.

Start chatting.

Now it’s time to get chatting people. The first time you open the app, you’ll feel a little lonely. There will be no chats, but starting one is easy peasy.

1)     Select the chat bubble in the bottom right.

2)     Choose the contact you want to chat with.

3)     Type your message at the bottom of the screen.

4)     Tap the arrow icon to send your message.

You’ve just sent your first WhatsApp message. You can even do fancy things like send images or files on your WhatsApp conversation.

Simply tap the little paperclip or camera icon at the bottom of the screen.

Want to chat in a group? Follow the above four steps but tap New Group when prompted and select multiple contacts.

Calls made easier.

The ability to make phone calls on WhatsApp is a super-handy feature. WhatsApp allows you to make calls using an internet connection, rather than the minutes in your monthly plan.

1)     Open the chat window of the person you want to call.

2)     Select the phone icon in the top right corner.

For group chat calls, follow the same steps but be sure to open the group chat first. Likewise for video calling, follow the above steps but click the video camera icon rather than the phone icon.

You’re a WhatsApp pro.

So, there you have it. We’ve really stripped back to basics with this handy guide. Once you’ve gotten a hang of it, you can enjoy wilder features.

Looking for a new mobile to try out all of these fancy features? You’re in luck. We’ve got epic deals on the best from iPhone, Samsung, Sony, Google and more!