The 'magic' feature was released by WhatsApp in early 2023, where even if the internet is down or dead, messages can still be sent. How could that be?
In an announcement on its blog quoted by us , WhatsApp will keep users connected through a proxy server so they can stay online if the internet is blocked or interrupted by internet outages.
"Happy New Year to all WhatsApp users! We are aware that while we are celebrating the start of the new year 2023 by calling or sending private text messages, there are many people who still do not have the ability to reach their loved ones due to internet network shutdowns," wrote WhatsApp.
"To address this, today we're rolling out proxy support for WhatsApp users worldwide. This means we're giving people the ability to maintain access to WhatsApp if their connection is blocked or interrupted," he continued.
So by choosing a proxy, users can connect to WhatsApp via servers set up by volunteers and organizations around the world dedicated to helping people communicate freely. If you have the skills to help others connect, you can also learn how to set up a proxy.
"Connecting through a proxy maintains the high level of privacy and security that WhatsApp provides. Your private messages will still be protected by end-to-end encryption - ensuring that your messages remain only between you and the person you are communicating with, and cannot be seen." by someone else, not even a proxy server, WhatsApp, or Meta," added WhatsApp.
"Our hope for 2023 is that there will be no more internet shutdowns. Disturbances like the ones we've seen in Iran for months have denied human rights and resulted in barriers to aid delivery," he continued.
WhatsApp hopes this solution will help people communicate securely and reliably whenever they need it. That option is now available in the settings menu for everyone running the latest version of WhatsApp, in the Storage and data > Proxy menu.