WhatsApp is rolling out a new chat lock feature that allows users to secure specific conversations in their inbox behind a passcode, fingerprint, or Face ID authentication, parent company Meta announced.


In a post on its news page, Meta explained that locked chats are removed from the regular chat list and hidden in a password-protected folder. Notification previews for any locked chats don’t show the sender’s or message’s content, while any media shared in locked chats won’t be automatically saved to the phone’s photo library, making conversations even more private.

“We think this feature will be great for people who occasionally share their phone with a family member, or for moments when someone else is grabbing your phone at the exact moment a very private conversation arrives,” Meta said.

To lock an individual or group chat, tap the name at the top of the conversation to reveal the thread settings menu, where there is a new lock option. To later reveal locked chats, swipe slowly to the main WhatsApp chats list, and you will be asked to authenticate before opening the locked chats folder.

The feature is coming to the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS on the App Store, and it will roll out to all users on both iPhone and Android in the coming days.

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