WhatsApp is getting a new “Chat Lock” feature that aims to make it easier to keep conversations private. The new locked chats will be in a password or biometric protected folder, and notifications from those conversations will not show the sender or the actual message content. If you’re familiar with Apple’s hidden photos feature for iCloud, it sounds like Chat Lock works the same way.
You can get an idea of what it will all look like in this video from WhatsApp.
WhatsApp is already known for its end-to-end encrypted messages, but that doesn’t stop someone who already has your unlocked phone open to WhatsApp from potentially seeing a message with their eyes. Chat Lock adds an extra layer of protection that can come in handy if you need to share your unlocked phone with someone on a regular basis. (You can also completely lock WhatsApp behind biometric authentication, if you prefer.)
Chat Lock is rolling out now and there will be additional upgrades to look forward to in the future. “In the coming months, we’ll be adding more options for Chat Lock, including locking for associated devices, creating a custom password for your chats so you can use a unique password that’s different from your phone,” Meta wrote in a blog post.