WhatsApp introduced a brand new Secret Code characteristic for locked chats on Thursday. The Chat Lock characteristic introduced by the corporate earlier this 12 months has now been prolonged and means that you can conceal your locked chats behind a secret code. Because of this, you possibly can conceal your delicate conversations with different customers from view once you’re passing your cellphone to a pal, or in case your cellphone falls into the fallacious arms. Alternatively, you possibly can proceed to guard your chats together with your cellphone’s PIN or passcode, or by scanning your face or fingerprint.
On Thursday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced the rollout of the brand new Secret Code for Chat Lock characteristic that lets you choose a chat and lock it behind a password or a phrase. Chats hidden behind a secret code is not going to be seen in the primary chat listing and may solely be accessed when the key code is entered, including one other layer of security to the messaging platform.
Devices 360 was capable of check out the characteristic on the beta model of the app for Android smartphones. After you open the listing of locked chats and faucet the three-dot menu on the high > Chat lock settings > toggle Cover locked chats and enter a secret code that you would be able to keep in mind simply, your locked chats will now not be seen in the primary chat window — at present, WhatsApp exhibits a shortcut for locked chats when swiping down on the chat display screen — these might be accessed utilizing your fingerprint or Face ID.
After you have set a secret code, there’s just one option to reveal your locked chats on WhatsApp — you will need to enter the identical secret code within the search bar on the app. This may present conversations protected by the Chat Lock characteristic, however solely till you exit the app.
In the event you needn’t conceal the presence of your chats on WhatsApp, you possibly can revert again to the unique Chat Lock characteristic by opening the listing of locked chats utilizing your secret code, then tapping on the three-dot menu > Chat lock settings > toggle Cover locked chats off to disable the Secret Code characteristic.
WhatsApp additionally says that you just will not must enter particular person chat settings to lock a chat — you possibly can merely lengthy press a chat to lock it. Whereas the key code characteristic has begun rolling out to customers, it will likely be accessible globally within the coming months. There is no phrase on when — or whether or not — WhatsApp will deliver the key code characteristic to WhatsApp for Desktop.
