On May 15, 2023, Meta announced a new feature for WhatsApp. It is a chat lock, which will make your conversations more secure.
According to Meta, it would definitely be a great idea for people who have to share their mobile devices with family members.
Of course, WhatsApp has the option of archiving chats, but this is not entirely secure.
At times when someone else is handling your phone and at the same time your private/personal chat arrives, you don’t have to worry about this now because Mark Zuckerberg has got you!
New “Chat Lock” Feature on WhatsApp
Chat Lock is the type of feature that provides more privacy and security to WhatsApp users than previously available features.
For instance, end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, encrypted backups, screenshot blocking by a second person, last-seen status access, read receipts, status privacy, profile privacy, to whom you don’t want to show your WhatsApp DP, and more.
Recently, Mark announced a new feature of WhatsApp via Facebook.
He said,
“New locked chats in WhatsApp make your conversations more private. They’re hidden in a password-protected folder, and notifications won’t show sender or message content”.
How Do I Lock a Chat?
You can lock any chat, whether it is a group or one-to-one conversation. Firstly, you have to press the name of the chat that you want to lock. After that, choose the lock option. That’s it!
When a chat is locked, that chat will be removed from your inbox and placed in a separate folder that can only be viewed with your device’s password or a biometric, such as a fingerprint.
Now, to reveal these chats, gradually pull down your inbox. Then enter your password or biometric that you have set to secure the chat.
Additionally, it automatically hides that chat’s content as well as the name of the sender from notifications.
Thus, you can secure sensitive and intimate conversations by applying this feature to a specific chat.
Benefits of the “Chat Lock” Feature
Of course, WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption, but this is ineffective if someone can view your messages so easily. Because anyone can have unlocked access to your private chats.
In these situations, this new functionality adds a layer of protection.
Also, there has been an option to lock WhatsApp by fingerprinting or a PIN code on your mobile devices. But this feature would allow users to further protect specific chats. Thus, if someone gets access to your phone, locked chats will remain encrypted.
This function was introduced a few weeks after WhatsApp made modifications regarding polls and sharing. You may now run a poll and people may only vote once, which gives you the option to choose single-vote polls. Moreover, you can now forward media with subtitles while sharing.
New Features on WhatsApp in Upcoming Months
Chat Lock’s features will be continually improved by WhatsApp to better safeguard companion devices.
Meta claims that users can expect the release of further features in the upcoming months, such as the capability to design unique passwords for each discussion that are separate from their phone’s security measures.
All users can update the app to get this latest feature. What are your views on this latest WhatsApp feature; share in the comment section.
