WhatsApp can be now used without internet, check details

The new feature has been launched primarily for the people of Iran, where the Islamic Republic banned WhatsApp and Instagram as part of measures to quell the anti-hijab protests that have been on since September last year.

New Delhi, Jan 06: WhatsApp will now allow its users to bypass internet censorship and maintain access to the platform even if their connection is blocked or disrupted. Yes, people will be now able to use WhatsApp by connecting through proxy servers, set up by volunteers and organisations.

"Happy New Year! While many of us celebrated by texting our loved ones on WA, there are millions of people in Iran and elsewhere who continue to be denied the right to communicate freely and privately. So today we are making it easier for anyone to connect to WA using a proxy," said Will Cathcart, CEO.

This will enable anyone to connect through servers set up by volunteers and organisations dedicated to helping people communicate freely. So when a connection to WhatsApp is blocked, people have the power to restore access," he added.

To help people reconnect to WhatsApp, you can set up a proxy using a server with ports 80, 443 or 5222 available and a domain name (or subdomain) that points to the server's IP address. Detailed documentation and source code are available on GitHub here.

The new feature has been launched primarily for the people of Iran, where the Islamic Republic banned WhatsApp and Instagram as part of its measures to quell the anti-hijab protests that have been going on since September last year.

The demonstrations in Iran began as an emotional outpouring over the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman held by the country's morality police for allegedly violating its strictly enforced dress code.

The Moral Police takes strict action against people, especially women, who do not dress according to the country's Islamic law or break Sharia law in any way.