Summary
- WhatsApp introduced Chat Lock to protect chats and later improved it with a secret lock feature.
- Chat Lock is limited to the primary device, with WhatsApp working on support for linked devices.
- WhatsApp continuously adds new features like pinning messages, face unlock, and chat filters.
In May 2023, WhatsApp introduced Chat Lock, adding a handy new way to safeguard your private chats from prying eyes. The feature lets you lock important conversations behind your phone’s PIN/password or biometric authentication. Then, in December 2023, WhatsApp improved Chat Lock by adding a secret lock functionality, ensuring you can move your private chats to a hidden inbox protected with a secret code. The problem with Chat Lock is that it only works on the primary device, with the hidden chats still visible on your linked devices. It appears WhatsApp is working on addressing this limitation of Chat Lock for linked devices.
In the latest WhatsApp beta for Android v2.24.8.4, WABetaInfo discovered the option of accessing locked chats on linked devices. To access the hidden chat box from one of your paired devices, you must have a secret code set up via your primary phone.
Once this feature rolls out, you can access your hidden chats from any of your linked devices. Currently, your locked chats are not hidden on other devices besides your phone, posing a significant privacy risk. Given the popularity of multi-device support in WhatsApp, this is a major drawback in Chat Lock’s current implementation.
WhatsApp has been working on chat lock support for linked devices for some time now. Given the latest development, the feature should roll out in beta and eventually to the public channel sooner rather than later. Once this improvement rolls out, it will address one of our major complaints about WhatsApp’s linked device implementation.
Meta keeps improving WhatsApp
WhatsApp has gained several features over the last few years, with many useful ones under development. In March 2024 alone, WhatsApp was spotted testing the ability to pin up to three messages in a conversation, the ability to tag people in status updates, and more.
WhatsApp was also spotted testing new app authentication methods like face unlock and device password. Currently, you can only unlock the app with your phone’s fingerprint scanner. To make managing your ever-growing inbox easier, the chat app is working on chat filters to filter your unread and group conversations easily.
