WhatsApp's New Chat Lock Feature Lets You Lock and Hide Sensitive Chats

Popular messaging platform WhatsApp has introduced a new feature called Chat Lock, designed to add an extra layer of security for users' most sensitive conversations.

The feature lets you lock and move individual chats to a secure, password- or biometrics-protected folder. The contents of such chat will also be automatically hidden in notifications, so no one can see what you're talking about and with whom.

To lock a chat, tap the name of a one-to-one or group conversation and select the lock option. To display these hidden chats, simply pull down on your inbox and enter your phone password or complete a biometric scan.

β€œWe think this feature will be great for people who have reason to share their phones from time to time with a family member or those moments where someone else is holding your phone at the exact moment an extra special chat arrives,” the company wrote in a blog post.

WhatsApp Users Can Now React to Messages with Any Emoji
WhatsApp is rolling out a new update that will let its users react to messages with any emoji they want. When the emoji reaction feature was introduced in May, users could only choose between six emoji to react to messages.

The Chat Lock is rolling out now, and it will get additional upgrades over the next few months, including locking for companion devices and creating a custom password for each chat so users can use a unique password different from their phone's.