WhatsApp and Instagram are among the apps people open every day, but many users still don't use several of their most useful features.

From quickly finding old WhatsApp messages to sharing Instagram posts with selected people, these settings can make everyday social-media use faster and more convenient.

Here are 12 WhatsApp and Instagram tricks worth trying.

WhatsApp tips and tricks

1. Search WhatsApp messages by date

Looking for an old conversation but don't remember exactly what was written?

WhatsApp's search function can help you narrow down messages by date.

Open a chat, tap Search and use the calendar option to jump to a particular date. This can save a lot of time when you're looking for an old address, payment detail, booking information or important message.

2. Pin important messages

You don't always need to search through an entire conversation to find an important message.

WhatsApp allows users to pin messages inside chats. Important information such as an address, event detail, payment instruction or travel plan can therefore remain easily accessible.

Open the message options and select Pin.

3. Send a message to yourself

WhatsApp can also be used as a personal notes space.

You can send messages to your own WhatsApp account and use the chat to store:

• Shopping lists

• Important links

• Notes

• Screenshots

• Documents

• Reminders

This can be more convenient than creating a separate notes app entry for every small piece of information.

4. Create polls in group chats

Planning something with friends or family?

Instead of receiving dozens of messages saying "yes", "no" or "maybe", create a WhatsApp poll.

You can use polls to decide everything from a restaurant to a meeting time or holiday destination.

5. Format WhatsApp messages

WhatsApp supports several text-formatting options.

You can use formatting such as bold, italics, strikethrough and monospace to make important information easier to read.

This is particularly useful in large group chats where a plain block of text can easily get missed.

6. Keep important chats at the top

If there are conversations you open every day, pin them to the top of your WhatsApp chat list.

This is useful for family groups, work conversations or frequently contacted people.

Instead of scrolling through dozens of chats, your most important conversations remain easily accessible.

Instagram tips and tricks

7. Share a Story with only selected people

Not every Story needs to be visible to all your followers.

Instagram's Close Friends feature lets you share Stories with a selected group of people.

You can create your own list and update it whenever you want.

This is useful for sharing personal updates without posting them publicly to your entire follower list.

8. Save Instagram posts into collections

Instagram's Save feature isn't just for bookmarking random posts.

You can organise saved posts into collections such as:

• Travel ideas

• Recipes

• Home interiors

• Workout ideas

• Shopping

• Places to visit

This turns Instagram into a visual personal library rather than simply a scrolling feed.

9. Share a Reel at a specific moment

Found a particularly funny or useful part of a Reel?

Instead of telling someone to watch the entire video, use Instagram's sharing options to direct them to the relevant part when the feature is available.

This can make sharing longer videos much more convenient.

10. Mute someone's posts without unfollowing them

Sometimes you don't want to see someone's content but also don't want to unfollow them.

Instagram's Mute option allows you to reduce content from an account without notifying that person that you've muted them.

You can mute posts, Stories or both, depending on the available settings.

11. Control who can mention or tag you

If you're tired of being tagged in random posts, Instagram provides controls over mentions and tags.

Review your privacy settings and decide whether everyone, people you follow or no one can mention or tag you.

You can also choose whether tagged posts automatically appear on your profile or require approval.

12. Turn on notification controls

Instagram can generate a large number of notifications.

Instead of disabling every notification, customise them according to what matters to you.

You can control notifications for messages, comments, followers, live videos and other activities.

This can significantly reduce unnecessary interruptions without forcing you to turn off all notifications.

One important security trick

Whether you use WhatsApp or Instagram, never share an OTP, verification code or login code with another person.

Scammers may pretend to be friends, customer-care representatives or even platform employees to obtain these codes.

If someone asks you to forward a WhatsApp or Instagram verification code, do not share it.

Make your apps work for you

WhatsApp and Instagram are constantly adding new features, but many remain hidden behind menus that users rarely explore.

Spending a few minutes checking the privacy, messaging and notification settings can make both apps easier and safer to use.

The next time you open WhatsApp or Instagram, explore the settings instead of simply scrolling through your feed — you may find a feature that saves you considerable time.