WhatsApp introduces new Chat Lock feature for those sensitive conversations you want to keep private

WhatsApp has announced a new feature called "Chat Lock" that adds an extra layer of privacy to its users' most private chats. This feature allows users to lock a chat thread so that it can only be viewed after once again entering the device's password or fingerprint.

WhatsApp touts this feature as a tool to make sure its users are able to keep their private talks private, even if the smartphone in question is passed around or someone is able to get into it without permission. This also works with notifications, making sure that any notifications from a locked chat does not show a preview of what is being said.

With WhatsApp Chat Lock, you can make sure that your private talks stay private even if someone gets into your device without your permission. Whether you share sensitive information, talk about personal things, or have private conversations, this new tool gives you the power to keep your privacy at its highest level.

The announcement is accompanied by a video highlighting how the feature works and how it can be convenient in family settings where the phone could be borrowed several times by others to either take a photo or participate in a video chat. In it, you see the main character escape several scenarios where his private conversation could have been made public, only to be saved by the existence of this feature.

Locked chats can be accessed via the "Locked chats" folder, which can only be accessed by authenticating via the same method you use to unlock your phone. Locked chats will also be expanded in the coming months with new features such as extending the lock to companion devices and the ability to apply a different password to your locked chat folder than the one being used to unlock the device.

The latter helps in cases where you do want to give access to your phone to someone else by sharing your device pin, but still want to keep specific WhatsApp chats private. Currently, you are able to lock the entire WhatsApp application with your chosen authentication method, but this takes it one step further by targeting specific conversations. The feature is rolling out in the latest version of the app.