WhatsApp’s secret code feature for locking chats rolling out to all

WhatsApp is getting a new security feature on all platforms starting today. Over the past few weeks, Meta has been testing the option to lock chats behind a secret code on the beta versions of the app for Android and iOS for select users.

That option will start rolling out to the masses today and will become globally available over the coming months. The WhatsApp app introduced chat lock functionality earlier this year, giving users the option to hide chats from the chats list. Now, chats can be locked and secured behind a secret code that’s different from the password or code used to unlock the device.

Using a secret code will hide the Locked Chats folder from the chat list for added privacy, and users will have to type in the code in the search bar to access the locked chats. The secret codes don’t have to be alphanumeric like regular passwords, emojis are accepted as well.

WhatsApp is also rolling out the ability to lock chats by long-pressing a chat in the chat list, another feature it was previously testing on the beta version of the app. As with every such WhatsApp update, this one will start appearing on more and more devices as the weeks go by – just updating the app from the Play Store (or iOS’ App Store) won’t be enough, as it will also require a server-side change before the functionality is actually usable.