WhatsApp Beta Introduces Enhanced Privacy with Secret Codes for Hiding Chats

WhatsApp is piloting a new privacy-centric feature within its Android beta version 2.23.24.20, giving users the ability to make specific chats invisible on the app using a secret code. Contrastingly, the existing method allows you to access a hidden chat section by swiping down on the chat list; the emerging update will completely conceal the chats, revealing them only when the secret code is entered.

To activate the feature, beta users need to navigate to the locked chat list, select the three-dot menu, go to Chat lock settings, enable the Hide locked chats option, and create a secure and memorable code. WhatsApp emphasizes the importance of remembering this secret code, stating that a reset would lead to the removal of all your locked chats.

Once this functionality is set up, the ‘Locked chats’ category, which previously appeared with a swipe action, will no longer be visible. To access the hidden and locked chats, users will have to enter their secret code into the search bar.

The advantage of this heightened security measure is clear. It adds a layer of obscurity, deterring anyone with access to your phone from stumbling upon any hidden chats—a complexity beyond the simple downward swipe, now requiring knowledge of the unique code.

Those who prefer the existing protection system, which secures chats behind a fingerprint, can easily switch back. Users can revert by following the same steps and toggling the Hide locked chats option after inputting their secret code, making the locked chats accessible again with a downward swipe.

Alongside these privacy updates, WhatsApp is forging ahead with another forthcoming feature that could change the way users interact with channels on the app. Spotted by the digital sleuths at WABetaInfo, this feature in the pipeline will let users assign usernames to their channels, facilitating direct access for subscribers by typing the username. This feature remains in the works and is not yet available to beta testers, with a future beta rollout anticipated.