WhatsApp is by far the most used messaging app for both Android and iOS devices with tons of features such as format, profile lock, video calls, voice calls, and chat lock. Even though all new WhatsApp features pass through the Beta phase where some users test new features before releasing them to the public. And the new WhatsApp feature locks the WhatsApp app and also locks individual chats with end-to-end encryption. So, in this article, we will take a look at how to lock WhatsApp chat on Android and iPhone.
What is WhatsApp Lock
WhatsApp lock is a feature to lock your WhatsApp messaging app to restrict unauthorized access to your WhatsApp chats/messages. The WhatsApp lock comes in two forms; With the WhatsApp lock you can lock your entire WhatsApp account and you may choose to lock individual chat on the messaging app.
With the feature to lock WhatsApp chats your entire WhatsApp app will be locked with your fingerprint and this is called a fingerprint lock on the WhatsApp app. Also, WhatsApp feature also allows users to lock individual chat without locking the WhatsApp and you can choose to do both.
So, here we will consider how to lock WhatsApp chat [individual] and how to lock WhatsApp app [entire] to restrict unauthorized access to the WhatsApp messaging app.
How to Lock WhatsApp Chat
You can choose to lock the WhatsApp app on your Android and iPhone to lock your WhatsApp messages. With this tip, you can lock your entire WhatsApp chats instead of individual chats.
iPhone
By following the steps below you will learn how to lock WhatsApp chat on iPhone.
- Launch the “WhatsApp” app on your iPhone.
- Click on “Settings” at the bottom right.
- Click on “Privacy.”
- Scroll down and click on “Screen Lock.”
- Enable “Require Face ID” or “Fingerprint Lock.”
- Choose between:
- Immediately
- After 1 minute
- After 15 minutes
- After 1 hour.
- Click on the “Arrow back” button.
Once you close your WhatsApp app the message will automatically turn on the lock screen depending on the time frame to lock your WhatsApp account.
Android
With the following steps, you can lock your WhatsApp screen to lock your entire WhatsApp chat and restrict unauthorized access to the messaging app.
- Launch the “WhatsApp“ app on your Android.
- Click on the “3 dots” at the top right and select “Settings.”
- Click on “Privacy” on the “Account” page.
- Scroll down and click on “Fingerprint Lock.”
- Enable “Unlock with Fingerprint.”
- Select the duration under “Automatically Lock.”
- Disable “Show Content in Notifications” to hide content notifications.
You want to close the WhatsApp app and wait for the time frame you chose under automatically lock your WhatsApp and the WhatsApp account will be locked. However, to unlock the WhatsApp account you will be prompted to confirm your fingerprint lock.
How to Lock WhatsApp Chat on iPhone
With the new WhatsApp feature, you can lock WhatsApp on your iPhone. So, by following the steps below you will learn how to lock WhatsApp on your iPhone.
- Launch the “WhatsApp” messaging app on your iPhone.
- Click on “Chats.”
- Click on the WhatsApp Chat you want to lock.
- Click on the “Profile” name.
- Scroll down and click on “Chat Lock.”
- Turn on “Lock this Chat with Face ID.”
- If your iPhone is using “Fingerprint” toggle on “Lock this chat with Fingerprint.”
- Verify your “Face ID” or “Fingerprint” to enable the chat lock.
- A popup will appear saying “This Chat is Now Locked.” You can find it locked in the chats tab.
- Click “View” to enable the chat lock.
- You will see the WhatsApp chat name under “Locked Chats.”
So, with the steps above you’d be able to lock individual chat on your iPhone with either your Face ID or fingerprint lock.
How to Lock WhatsApp Chat on Android
With the steps below you will be able to enable the lock WhatsApp chat feature on your Android phone. This works on all Android devices.
- Launch the “WhatsApp“ app on your Android.
- Click on the “Chat” you want to lock.
- Click on the “Profile” name.
- Scroll down and click on “Chat Lock.”
- Turn on “Lock this chat with Fingerprint.”
- Click “OK” from the pop-up.
- Confirm your “Fingerprint.”
- Click on “View” under “This chat is now locked.”
- Done.
The chat will be locked and hidden from the general WhatsApp chat page. The next steps below will consider how to find lock chats on WhatsApp.
How to Enable WhatsApp 2FA
If you don’t want your WhatsApp account to be hacked you need to enable the 2FA feature on your WhatsApp account. So, in this article, we will take a look at how to enable WhatsApp 2FA to increase your WhatsApp security layer.
- Launch your WhatsApp account and click on the more option from the three dots and click settings
- Here you will see a list of options click on the account from within
- Click on the two-step authentication option to choose a password for your account authentication
Choose the option that best suits you. You can either choose a pattern or go with a password. In my own case, I choose to with password option. Then, enter the password and click next and enter to confirm the password again and click save.
Choose the option that best suits you. You can either choose a pattern or go with a password. In my own case, I choose to with password option. Then, enter the password and click next and enter to confirm the password again and click save.
It’s advisable to turn on two-step verification on your WhatsApp to protect your WhatsApp account from hackers.
WhatsApp Chat Lock not Available
If the WhatsApp chat is not available for you then you need to follow the steps below to add the chat lock feature to your WhatsApp.
Android
The WhatsApp chat lock feature is available only for WhatsApp version 2.23.14.9 on Android. So, if you are running a lower version you might not be able to use the chat lock feature. So, by following the steps below you will be able to integrate the new chat lock on your account.
- Launch the “Google Play Store” app on your Android.
- Search for “WhatsApp.”
- Click on the “Update” icon to download and upgrade your WhatsApp to the latest version with the chat lock feature.
With the steps above you will be able to enable the WhatsApp chat lock on your Android phone.
iPhone
For iPhone users, you must be running WhatsApp version 2.23.12.71 to be able to have access to the WhatsApp chat lock on your iPhone. However, if you are running a lower version then you’d want to take the following steps.
- Launch the Apple Apps Store on your iPhone.
- Click on the “Search” button at the bottom right.
- Type “WhatsApp” and click on the “Update” button.
- Done.
With the latest WhatsApp update, you should be able to enable and use WhatsApp chat lock on your iPhone.
WhatsApp Beta Program
You can join the very few WhatsApp Beta testers to receive all WhatsApp new feature updates before it’s made available to the public. The WhatsApp Beta program is available to all devices. So, with the steps below you can join WhatsApp Beta on Android, iOS, PC and Mac.
- Go to the WhatsApp Beta page.
- Click on “Join” beta tester.
- Sign in with your Gmail account.
- Done.
Now, you will be prompted to download the latest WhatsApp Beta for your device. With this, you will be able to receive WhatsApp Beta updates once it’s released.