The launch of a new feature allowing users to password-protect their WhatsApp chats was announced on Monday by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp.
With the help of this feature, WhatsApp users can now guarantee the confidentiality of their most private chats and shield them from unwanted access by those who may be in possession of their mobile phones or other personal devices carrying the chat data.
According to Meta, the chat lock function enables users to store a discussion inside a secured file that can only be accessed by their device’s passcode or biometric techniques like fingerprint identification.
Additionally, turning on the chat lock function immediately hides conversation data in WhatsApp alerts, making sure that no private information like the sender’s name, photo, or message content is made public.
Reiterating its commitment to discovering novel solutions that protect message privacy and security, Meta reiterated its fundamental goal.
“We’re introducing Chat Lock,” said Meta in their announcement of the new feature, “which lets you protect your most intimate chats with an extra layer of security.”
This functionality will be helpful for people who periodically share their phones with family members or get into circumstances when someone else has temporary access to their smartphone while they are having a private discussion, according to Meta.
According to the company’s instructions on how to use the new feature, users can lock a chat by choosing the lock option while selecting the name of a person or group on WhatsApp.
Reiterating its commitment to discovering novel solutions that protect message privacy and security, Meta reiterated its fundamental goal.
“We’re introducing Chat Lock,” said Meta in their announcement of the new feature, “which lets you protect your most intimate chats with an extra layer of security.”
This functionality will be helpful for people who periodically share their phones with family members or get into circumstances when someone else has temporary access to their smartphone while they are having a private discussion, according to Meta.
According to the company’s instructions on how to use the new feature, users can lock a chat by choosing the lock option while selecting the name of a person or group on WhatsApp.
Users only need to access protected chats by going to their WhatsApp inbox, entering their device passcode, or using biometrics like fingerprint recognition.
In the months to come, Meta has promised to provide further options for conversation locking, such as device-specific locks and the capacity to designate a unique password just for chats.
Starting on Monday, the “Chat Lock” function will be available to all WhatsApp users worldwide.
How To Turn WhatsApp Chat Lock On
On Android and iPhone, you can turn on the chat lock feature to add an extra layer of privacy to specific chats. In order to read or send messages, you’ll need to unlock your chats using device authentication, such as your phone passcode, Face ID, or fingerprint. These chats will be kept separate from your other chats in a Locked chats folder.
- When chats are locked, the notification content and contacts are hidden. The notification will show as WhatsApp: 1 new message.
- To help keep media private, you’ll have to turn the chat lock off to save media to your phone’s gallery.
- Group chats and muted chats can also be locked.
- Calls won’t be locked. A call from a locked chat contact or group will still appear.
- When you turn on the chat lock from your phone, it will lock chats on that phone only. If you have other devices linked to WhatsApp, such as a desktop computer, the chats on those linked devices won’t be locked.
- If you use the backup and restore feature on WhatsApp, your locked chats will still be locked once you restore to a new phone. To access your locked chats you will need to have device authentication (fingerprint or Face ID) set up first.
- When you turn on chat lock, the person you’re chatting with won’t know you’ve locked the chat.
- If you want to lock an archived chat, you’ll need to unarchive it first, then lock it.
How to turn on the Whatsapp chat lock
You can turn the Whatsapp chat lock off or on within the chat’s info for each chat you want to lock. If you don’t have your device authentication set up yet, such as your phone passcode, fingerprint, or Face ID, you’ll be prompted to set it up before locking a chat.
How to activate the Whatsapp chat lock:
- Tap chat info > Chat lock.
- Tap Lock this chat with fingerprint or Lock This Chat with Face ID.
- Tap View to see the chat in the Locked Chats folder.
View your locked chats
You can view your locked chats in the Locked Chats folder.
How to view your locked chats:
- Go to the Chats tab and swipe down.
- Tap the Locked chats folder.
- Confirm your Face ID or touch the fingerprint sensor to unlock.
- Tap the chat to view or send a message.
Turn off chat lock
You can turn off chat lock in the chat’s info.
How to turn off chat lock:
- Tap chat info > Chat lock.
- Toggle off and confirm your fingerprint or Face ID.
