WhatsApp Conversations Safeguarded
Protect your super private WhatsApp chats with Meta’s newly introduced Secret Code feature, available for both Android and iPhone users. While WhatsApp already allowed users to lock their private chats with their fingerprint, there was a potential risk.
The fingerprint lock was based on the same fingerprint recognition used to unlock the phone itself. This meant that if someone managed to register their fingerprint on the device, they could potentially access the user’s private WhatsApp conversations. Recognizing this vulnerability, WhatsApp last month introduced a secret code feature to increase security.
This feature keeps your conversations safe and harder to find, especially if someone else gets access to your phone or you share it with others.
A secret code allows you to set a special password that’s separate from your phone’s unlock code, so you can add an extra layer of privacy to your locked conversations. You can activate “Hide locked conversations” in the chat lock settings and they will disappear from your chat list. You can use them again by typing the secret code you set in the search bar. If you want to keep them visible in your chat list, that’s also an option. Locking a new chat is also now simpler, just long press instead of going to chat settings.
This secret code also works as an alternative to open locked chats if you can’t use fingerprint or facial recognition. Let’s see how you can quickly lock chats and set a secret code to access them.
How to lock WhatsApp chats
1. Open the app and press and hold the conversation you want to lock.
2. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select Lock Chat.
3. Click Continue and use fingerprint or face recognition to authenticate.
Your conversation is now locked. To open them, swipe up on the Chats tab and select Locked Chats.
How to create a secret code for locked chats
1. Go to the Locked Chats window.
2. Click on “Secret Code” option and WhatsApp will guide you to generate the code. The code can be an emoji or a word with at least four characters.
3. Enter your secret code, click OK and you’re done.
