One of the new things that Android users can expect from the Android 5.0 Lollipop update is a mode called Priority which filters those you've marked as important and gives you alerts even when you are basically on silent or do not disturb mode. But popular messenger WhatsApp seemed to not be applying that mode previously, but a new update to the app has made all things right.
Previously, even when you've set Priority contacts, WhatsApp would still play notifications even though you've put it on Priority mode. That made it pretty annoying when you're watching a movie for example and it would still play through the media volume. But this latest update has finally solved the problem and now respects this new feature from Google, so you can just receive notifications from those contacts that really matter when you're doing something and you don't want to be disturbed by constant dings.
If you've just recently been Lollipop-ized and don't know yet how to use this Priority setting, you can activate it from the volume slider. You can choose either to set it just for one hour (if you're taking a catnap for example) or if you need longer, you can choose indefinitely. To choose the apps that can go through, you need to go to the bottom of the Sounds and Notification listing and set it as priority. You'll know that your smartphone is in that mode when there's a star on the upper right part of the screen just next to the signal bars.
If you don't have WhatsApp yet, you can download it from the Google Play Store for free. It also has in-app purchases, like stickers and themes, but if you're just looking for a basic messenger, then the basic free version should be enough.
VIA: Reddit