Long press on the WhatsApp app and tap on “App info” icon. You will now see a ”Force Stop” option on the top. You just need to tap on it and that's it. Close the WhatsApp app in the background.
At least, not within the app. So if you temporarily want to not receive any messages on WhatsApp, you can do that through Android's app settings. Here is what you need to do: Go to Setting > Apps > WhatsApp > Force Stop.
For instance, if you don't want to get messages in WhatsApp, select the app under Settings - Apps and click on Force Stop. Now, the app will stop working and you will not receive messages in the app. But you will be able to continue to use other messaging and data dependent services.
What is the difference between force stop and disable for an app setting on a phone? If you force stop an app, it can restart itself, or the operating system will restart it if needed. Disabled apps are off, untill you re-enable them. How can I force stop all apps at once on Android?
Force stop allows you to restart the app without deleting the saved data from your device. However, unsaved data may be removed within the app.
But if you choose to force stop an app, it is safe. Ideally, you must not force stop an app just because you want it to work, and do so only when you find that a particular app is not functioning correctly or some features of the app are not working well.
Scroll down and tap on Apps. Select See all apps and find WhatsApp in the list. Tap on Force stop and then confirm tapping OK . Reopen WhatsApp by clicking on the app's menu icon.