WhatsApp has recently rolled out an interesting Secret Code feature, presenting users with an additional layer of privacy by enabling them to conceal locked chats through a personalised password. Upon installation, users can designate a unique code, potentially adorned with emojis, specifically for securing locked chats, distinct from the device unlock code.
This innovative feature serves to obscure the Locked Chats folder from the main chat list, with the ability to unveil it again by inputting the secret code into the search bar for effortless access.
Alternatively, users have the choice to retain the folder within the chat list. The process of locking chats has been streamlined, utilising a long-press action, eliminating the necessity to navigate through chat settings.
WhatsApp, in an announcement on Thursday, stated, "Today we're launching secret code, an additional way to protect those chats and make them harder to find if someone has access to your phone or you share a phone with someone else."
The rollout of the Secret Code feature commenced today, with plans for global availability in the coming months. WhatsApp expressed enthusiasm for continuously enhancing Chat Lock functionality to bolster user privacy.
The Chat Lock privacy feature was globally introduced by WhatsApp in May, aiming to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive conversations. Users can establish a secured folder in their chat list, safeguarded by passwords or biometric authentication methods like fingerprints.
Furthermore, Chat Lock intelligently conceals locked chat details from notifications, thwarting any attempts by others to intrude into conversations while using the phone.
WhatsApp, which introduced end-to-end encryption seven years ago, initiated the global rollout of end-to-end encrypted chat backups for iOS and Android in October 2021. In the same year's December, privacy controls were expanded with the inclusion of default disappearing messages for all newly initiated chats.
Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, reports that the video calling and instant messaging platform is presently utilised by over two billion people worldwide.