Kik is an extremely popular messaging app, but it has a few annoying features that we all just sort of put up with. You can't turn off read receipts, nor can you hide when you're typing, and the photos you take with Kik's camera show up differently than ones you send from your gallery app. At least a couple of these features should be subject to change, but they aren't — well, not without some tinkering.
Previously, the only way to disable any of these features was to install a modified version of Kik released by a third party, which is always a sketchy endeavor because of the permissions they request. But now, developer xkik_dev has an Xposed module that lets you keep the official Kik app installed while giving you the ability to disable read receipts, spoof the Kik camera flag, and hide when you're typing, just to name a few of the tweaks it offers.
Requirements
Download & Install XKik
Begin by opening the Xposed Installer app and going to the Download section in the side navigation menu. Tap on the search icon and type in "Kik," then select the top result, XKik. Download the latest release from the Versions tab, then tap on "Install" when prompted. When you're done there, make sure to activate the module and reboot to wrap things up.
Tweak Settings with XKik
Next, open the XKik app and grant the permissions it asks for (storage and root). From there, head to the Chat Tweaks section in the side navigation panel. If you enable the "Fake camera" option here, pictures sent from your gallery will show up like they were taken with the Kik camera when the other party sees them. Then, if you turn on "Disable Read Receipts" and "Disable Typing Receipts," the other person won't know when you're typing or if you've read their message.
Next, head to the Visual Tweaks section to check out all of the other options that are available. My personal favorite here is the "Exact dates" toggle, which shows precise timestamps instead of approximations. But if you'd like, you can use the Color Tweaks section here to effectively theme the official Kik app.
Now that you can fool your friends with fake camera pictures and hide when you've read their messages, be sure to let us know what other devious intentions you have in mind in the comment section below.
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Cover image by Bettina Mangiaracina/Gadget Hacks, screenshots by Kevin M./Gadget Hacks
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