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This page documents all privacy-related methods available in the Baileys WhatsApp API.

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Fetch Privacy Settings

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fetchPrivacySettings

Fetch your current privacy settings.
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force
boolean
default:false
Whether to force fetch from server (bypassing cache)
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return
Promise<{ [key: string]: string }>
Returns an object with privacy settings:
  • last: Last seen privacy
  • online: Online status privacy
  • profile: Profile picture privacy
  • status: Status privacy
  • readreceipts: Read receipts setting
  • groupadd: Who can add you to groups
  • calladd: Who can call you
  • messages: Who can message you
const settings = await sock.fetchPrivacySettings()
console.log('Last seen:', settings.last)
console.log('Profile picture:', settings.profile)
console.log('Read receipts:', settings.readreceipts)

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Block Management

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fetchBlocklist

Fetch the list of blocked contacts.
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return
Promise<string[]>
Returns an array of blocked JIDs
const blocked = await sock.fetchBlocklist()
console.log('Blocked contacts:', blocked)

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updateBlockStatus

Block or unblock a contact.
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jid
string
required
The JID of the contact
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action
'block' | 'unblock'
required
Whether to block or unblock
// Block a contact
await sock.updateBlockStatus('[email protected]', 'block')

// Unblock a contact
await sock.updateBlockStatus('[email protected]', 'unblock')

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Last Seen Privacy

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updateLastSeenPrivacy

Control who can see your last seen timestamp.
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value
WAPrivacyValue
required
Privacy setting:
  • 'all': Everyone can see
  • 'contacts': Only contacts can see
  • 'contact_blacklist': Contacts except blocked
  • 'none': Nobody can see
// Everyone can see
await sock.updateLastSeenPrivacy('all')

// Only contacts
await sock.updateLastSeenPrivacy('contacts')

// Nobody
await sock.updateLastSeenPrivacy('none')

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Online Status Privacy

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updateOnlinePrivacy

Control who can see when you’re online.
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value
WAPrivacyOnlineValue
required
Privacy setting:
  • 'all': Everyone can see
  • 'match_last_seen': Same as last seen setting
// Everyone can see online status
await sock.updateOnlinePrivacy('all')

// Match last seen setting
await sock.updateOnlinePrivacy('match_last_seen')

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Profile Picture Privacy

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updateProfilePicturePrivacy

Control who can see your profile picture.
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value
WAPrivacyValue
required
Privacy setting:
  • 'all': Everyone can see
  • 'contacts': Only contacts can see
  • 'contact_blacklist': Contacts except blocked
  • 'none': Nobody can see
// Everyone can see
await sock.updateProfilePicturePrivacy('all')

// Only contacts
await sock.updateProfilePicturePrivacy('contacts')

// Nobody
await sock.updateProfilePicturePrivacy('none')

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Status Privacy

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updateStatusPrivacy

Control who can see your status updates.
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value
WAPrivacyValue
required
Privacy setting:
  • 'all': Everyone can see
  • 'contacts': Only contacts can see
  • 'contact_blacklist': Contacts except blocked
  • 'none': Nobody can see
// Everyone can see
await sock.updateStatusPrivacy('all')

// Only contacts
await sock.updateStatusPrivacy('contacts')

// Nobody
await sock.updateStatusPrivacy('none')

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Read Receipts

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updateReadReceiptsPrivacy

Control whether to send read receipts (blue ticks).
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value
WAReadReceiptsValue
required
Privacy setting:
  • 'all': Send read receipts
  • 'none': Don’t send read receipts
// Enable read receipts
await sock.updateReadReceiptsPrivacy('all')

// Disable read receipts
await sock.updateReadReceiptsPrivacy('none')
Disabling read receipts means you also won’t see when others read your messages (with some exceptions for group chats).

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Group Privacy

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updateGroupsAddPrivacy

Control who can add you to groups.
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value
WAPrivacyGroupAddValue
required
Privacy setting:
  • 'all': Everyone can add you
  • 'contacts': Only contacts can add you
  • 'contact_blacklist': Contacts except blocked can add you
// Everyone can add
await sock.updateGroupsAddPrivacy('all')

// Only contacts can add
await sock.updateGroupsAddPrivacy('contacts')

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Call Privacy

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updateCallPrivacy

Control who can call you.
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value
WAPrivacyCallValue
required
Privacy setting:
  • 'all': Everyone can call
  • 'known': Only known contacts can call
// Everyone can call
await sock.updateCallPrivacy('all')

// Only known contacts
await sock.updateCallPrivacy('known')

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Messages Privacy

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updateMessagesPrivacy

Control who can message you.
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value
WAPrivacyMessagesValue
required
Privacy setting:
  • 'all': Everyone can message
  • 'contacts': Only contacts can message
// Everyone can message
await sock.updateMessagesPrivacy('all')

// Only contacts can message
await sock.updateMessagesPrivacy('contacts')

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Complete Privacy Setup Example

import makeWASocket from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const sock = makeWASocket({ /* auth config */ })

// Set all privacy settings at once
async function setupPrivacy() {
  // Fetch current settings
  const current = await sock.fetchPrivacySettings()
  console.log('Current settings:', current)

  // Configure privacy
  await sock.updateLastSeenPrivacy('contacts')
  await sock.updateOnlinePrivacy('match_last_seen')
  await sock.updateProfilePicturePrivacy('contacts')
  await sock.updateStatusPrivacy('contacts')
  await sock.updateReadReceiptsPrivacy('all')
  await sock.updateGroupsAddPrivacy('contacts')
  await sock.updateCallPrivacy('known')
  await sock.updateMessagesPrivacy('contacts')

  // Block unwanted contacts
  await sock.updateBlockStatus('[email protected]', 'block')

  console.log('Privacy settings updated!')
}

setupPrivacy().catch(console.error)

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Privacy Types Reference

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WAPrivacyValue

Used for: Last Seen, Profile Picture, Status
  • 'all' - Everyone
  • 'contacts' - My contacts
  • 'contact_blacklist' - My contacts except…
  • 'none' - Nobody

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WAPrivacyOnlineValue

Used for: Online Status
  • 'all' - Everyone
  • 'match_last_seen' - Same as Last Seen

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WAPrivacyGroupAddValue

Used for: Group Add Permission
  • 'all' - Everyone
  • 'contacts' - My contacts
  • 'contact_blacklist' - My contacts except…

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WAPrivacyCallValue

Used for: Call Permission
  • 'all' - Everyone
  • 'known' - My contacts

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WAPrivacyMessagesValue

Used for: Message Permission
  • 'all' - Everyone
  • 'contacts' - My contacts

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WAReadReceiptsValue

Used for: Read Receipts
  • 'all' - Send read receipts
  • 'none' - Don’t send read receipts

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