WhatsApp clearly thinks we all need some added privacy with the Meta-owned firm launching a new function simply called Chat Lock. With this feature enabled, users can now add specific chats to a secure folder where only the phone owner can read them.
Once a message is received it stays hidden from view until biometrics such as Face ID, passcode or the fingerprint scanner are used.
This means if someone else has hold of your phone they won't see anything that's been assigned to the Lock folder.
It also automatically hides the contents of that chat in notifications, too so a private message won't suddenly be splashed all over the home screen.
"We think this feature will be great for people who have reason to share their phones from time to time with a family member or those moments where someone else is holding your phone at the exact moment an extra special chat arrives," WhatsApp said in a post on its blog.
"You can lock a chat by tapping the name of a one-to-one or group and selecting the lock option. To reveal these chats, slowly pull down on your inbox and enter your phone password or biometric."
WhatsApp says Chat Lock will start rolling out from today so expect to see it arrive on your device soon.
The service, which remains the most popular messaging platform on the planet, has also confirmed that, over the next few months, it is going to be adding more options for Chat Lock, including locking for companion devices and creating a custom password for your chats so that you can use a unique password different from the one you use for your phone.
