WhatsApp Link Previews: How to Protect Your IP Address & Privacy

WhatsApp’s default settings share a user’s IP address when links are sent, potentially revealing approximate location and tracking online activity, according to recent reports.

The messaging app automatically generates previews for shared links, displaying a thumbnail and headline of the linked webpage within the chat. While convenient for recipients, this feature triggers a “obtain request” to the website, transmitting the sender’s IP address along with WhatsApp version and operating system details, as reported by German-language tech site chip.de on February 5, 2026.

This means content providers can potentially identify the sender’s general location and monitor their internet usage, even without the recipient clicking the link. The practice raises privacy concerns, particularly for users seeking to avoid tracking.

WhatsApp offers a setting to disable link previews. Users can navigate to “Settings/Privacy/Advanced” and toggle on the “Disable link previews” option. According to WhatsApp’s Help Center, disabling previews is an optional security measure to protect IP addresses.

Beyond link previews, WhatsApp also allows users to protect their IP address during calls. Enabling the “IP Address in Calls Protect” function, found under “Settings/Privacy/Advanced,” routes calls through WhatsApp servers, preventing the recipient from directly accessing the sender’s IP address. However, WhatsApp notes that this may slightly reduce call quality. Group calls always utilize the provider’s servers.

The privacy-focused messaging app Signal handles link previews differently. While Signal also allows users to enable or disable previews under “Settings/Chats,” it does not transmit the sender’s IP address even when the feature is active. According to a post on Reddit, Signal’s system is designed so that neither the developers nor content providers can access the sender’s IP address through link previews. Signal offers the option to route all calls through its servers to protect IP addresses, found under “Settings/Privacy/Advanced Settings/Always relay calls.”

The issue of IP address exposure through link previews highlights the trade-offs between convenience and privacy in popular messaging applications. While WhatsApp offers options to mitigate the risk, Signal’s architecture provides a more robust level of protection by default.