WhatsApp has announced a new feature called Chat Lock, which allows users to secure their most private chats behind an extra layer of security.
The feature, which is rolling out globally, lets users lock a chat with their device password or biometric, such as a fingerprint, and hide the contents of the chat in notifications.
According to WhatsApp’s blog post, Chat Lock is designed for people who share their phones with family members or have situations where someone else might see their phone when a sensitive chat arrives.
Users can lock a chat by tapping the name of a one-to-one or group and selecting the lock option. To access the locked chats, users have to pull down on their inbox and enter their password or biometric.
WhatsApp says that Chat Lock is part of its passion to find new ways to help keep messages private and secure. The company also plans to add more options for Chat Lock in the next few months, such as locking for companion devices and creating a custom password for chats.
How to enable Chat Lock on WhatsApp:
- Go to the specific chat that you would like to lock
- Click on the profile picture
- You will see a new option called “chat lock” right below the disappearing message menu
- Enable chat lock and authenticate using your phone password or biometric
The Verge reports that Chat Lock is one of the many features that WhatsApp has been working on to improve its privacy and security offerings. The company recently added end-to-end encryption for cloud backups and is testing a feature that lets users send messages that disappear after 24 hours.