Last year, WhatsApp introduced Chat Lock, a feature that allows users to keep their chats private even if someone has access to their phone. However, the feature was limited to the primary device only. The good news is that WhatsApp is now upgrading Chat Lock to address this limitation.
Chat Lock is a useful tool for hiding chats, whether for planning a surprise party or keeping sensitive conversations confidential. It not only locks the chats to prevent others from reading them on the device but also hides them from view entirely.
Notifications for new messages in locked chats are discreet, simply stating “WhatsApp: 1 new message” without revealing any content. Additionally, media shared in locked chats remains private, requiring users to disable Chat Lock to save files to their device.
An added layer of security allows users to unlock chats with a secret code instead of using their phone’s passcode or biometrics, enhancing privacy further. However, the limitation of Chat Lock being restricted to the primary device meant that hidden chats were still visible on linked devices.
The latest development indicates that this limitation may soon be lifted, as users are prompted to set up a secret code for accessing locked chats on other devices. By configuring a secret code on the primary phone, locked chats will disappear from the chats list and can only be accessed through this privacy feature on linked devices.
This upcoming enhancement is expected to be included in a future update, although the exact release date has not been confirmed yet. WhatsApp users can look forward to improved privacy and security features with the updated Chat Lock functionality.
