WhatsApp, step by step
The messages, the photos, the video calls — all easier than you think, and all free over Wi-Fi. This free course walks you through WhatsApp one gentle lesson at a time, entirely at your own pace, with no jargon and nothing to break. Finish the lessons and print a certificate with your name on it.
★ Rated 4.9 on Google100% free7 short lessonsCertificate & checklist
Welcome
// WHAT’S IN THIS COURSE
7 short lessons, at your own pace
Every lesson ends with one gentle “what would you do?” question — no scores, no time limits, no pass marks. Here’s what you’ll cover:
- What WhatsApp is (and why your family loves it). WhatsApp is a free app for sending messages and photos, and for making voice and video calls over the internet.
- Sending your first message. Open WhatsApp by tapping the green icon.
- Photos and voice notes (a gift for tired fingers). To send a photo, open the chat and look next to the typing box for a camera or paperclip icon.
- Video calling the family. Seeing faces is what WhatsApp does best.
- Groups, without the overwhelm. A group is one shared chat where everyone in it — the whole family, the book club, the bowls team — sees every message.
- Staying safe on WhatsApp. WhatsApp itself is safe — but scammers use it, just as they use the phone and the post.
- A little housekeeping. Photos and videos are the joy of WhatsApp — and, over time, the thing that fills a phone up.
// KEEP THIS BY THE COMPUTER
Your one-page checklist
The whole course, boiled down to the reminders that matter. Print it and keep it near the computer.
- Look for the green icon with a white phone in a speech bubble.
- Nothing sends until you tap the send arrow, so take your time.
- Hold the microphone button to speak a voice note instead of typing.
- Send photos with the camera or paperclip icon next to the typing box.
- On video calls, face the light and prop your phone steady.
- Mute noisy groups. It is not rude and you still get every message.
- New number asking for money? Ring the old number first. Agree a family codeword too.
- Never share your 6-digit WhatsApp code with anyone at all.
- Sent money to a scammer? Ring your bank first (dial 159), then Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) on 0300 123 2040.
- Say yes to free updates. Stuck? Call 365 Techies on 01202 775566.
// GOOD QUESTIONS
Frequently asked
Is WhatsApp really free?
Yes. The app is free, and messages and calls cost nothing when you’re on Wi-Fi — even to family abroad. Away from Wi-Fi it uses your mobile data allowance instead, so if you’re mostly at home, it costs you nothing at all.
Do I need a computer for this course?
No — just a comfy chair. The course reads nicely on a phone, tablet or computer screen, but WhatsApp itself lives on your phone, so it helps to have the phone beside you as you go through the lessons.
Is the certificate a qualification?
It’s a 365 Techies certificate of completion — a lovely marker of what you’ve learned, with your name on it, ready to print. It isn’t a formal qualification, but it’s certainly something to be proud of and pop on the fridge.
I don’t have WhatsApp on my phone yet. What do I do?
On an Android phone, open the Google Play Store, search for WhatsApp and tap Install — it’s free. You’ll confirm your mobile number, and WhatsApp will text you a 6-digit code to type in (keep that code to yourself, always). If you’d like a friendly hand setting it up, that’s exactly what our Kinson lessons are for.
What if I make a mistake and send something silly?
It happens to everyone, and it’s never a disaster. If you spot it soon after sending, WhatsApp even lets you delete the message for everyone in the chat — and honestly, family are usually just delighted to hear from you. There’s no mistake on WhatsApp that can’t be fixed or laughed off.
Can I get help in person?
Yes! We run relaxed, in-person lessons at the Kinson Community Centre in Bournemouth, and we’re always at the end of the phone on 01202 775566. No question is too small — we’ve been helping local people with their technology since 1995.
Rather learn with a friendly human?
We run patient, plain-English computer lessons at the Kinson Community Centre — and we’re on the phone Mon–Fri, 9–5. No silly questions, ever.
01202 775566 · help@365techies.co.uk · MON–FRI 9AM–5PM
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