WhatsApp introduces 'Chat Lock' feature for private chats

Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has introduced Chat Lock as an additional security feature, aiming to provide users with an extra layer of protection for their private conversations. The feature is available for both iOS and Android WhatsApp users.

What if you want to hide some specific chats from anyone who could access your phone? WhatsApp offers a function that allows you to lock the app with a password. 

The 'Chat Lock' function, which was announced on Monday by WhatsApp, the messaging service owned by Meta, is intended to increase user privacy. With the help of this function, conversations are safely stored in a password-protected folder, preventing alerts from revealing the sender or contents of messages.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder, chairman and CEO of Meta confirmed the new feature in a Facebook post stating, “They’re hidden in a password protected folder and notifications won’t show sender or message content."

With the Chat Lock feature, which WhatsApp is now rolling out, users may now lock their chats with a password to keep them private. Users will now have more control over the app's privacy and security thanks to this new feature.

WhatsApp claims that Chat Lock will allow users to relocate their most private discussions to a different folder that requires a device password or biometric identification, like a fingerprint, to access. This will prevent the contents of the locked chats from being seen even if another person has access to their phone. Additionally, the function conceals the sender's identity and the message preview in closed chat alerts.

"When someone writes you when a chat is locked, the sender's name and the message's content will also be concealed. This feature enables you to safeguard your most private chats with a password and stores them in a different folder. Everyone has a right to privacy, regardless of who has access to your phone," the official statement said.

Along with end-to-end encryption, encrypted backups, disappearing messages, screenshot blocking, and other privacy features, Chat Lock is a part of the company's continuous efforts to give consumers greater privacy options. The business stated that it aims to assist consumers in protecting the privacy and security of their messages.