Tech Hack: This Secret WhatsApp Setting Will Change Everything About How You Use the Chat App

WhatsApp is packed with a host of functions, but let’s be honest- most of us just use a few of them. You send texts, voice notes, a couple of GIFs and make a few video/voice calls. That’s all there is to it. But there is one game-changing feature hidden in the app's settings that most people either are not aware of or don’t pay attention to. Once you have turned it on, it will be easier to keep track of your business chats, group chats and the always-on family chats. This feature in question is Chat Lock, and no, it's not just about locking the whole app with a PIN or Face ID.  This enables you to lock chats one at a time.

What is WhatsApp Chat Lock?

“You can lock chats to add an extra layer of privacy to your chats. Locked chats will be hidden from your chats list in the Locked Chats folder” – this is how WhatsApp puts it. The feature, very much clear from its name, lets you lock your private chats. 

To put it in simpler words, you can see chat lock as a secret vault where you can save your private chats and access only with biometric authentication.  Chat Lock adds an extra degree of anonymity, whether you are talking to your partner, your boss, or a customer for your side business.  Once you turn it on, the chat is removed from the main inbox and can only be viewed with your fingerprint, face scan, or PIN.

How to Enable Chat Lock?

A very simple process. Just right-click the chat you wish to lock and click on lock or unlock chat. When you lock a chat, it goes into a different folder called "Locked Chats" that is concealed from view.  You can only see it if you unlock it with biometrics.  The best part is that the material from locked chats won't automatically save to your gallery, so you won't have any receipts. Also, the other party in the chat does not know if you have locked their chat. 

Why does it matter?

It is 2025, and your phone stays closer to you than your partner does. You undoubtedly have a lot going on in your life, both personally and professionally, and it is easier than ever for messages to come at the wrong time.  This feature fixes that.  Want to show someone your gallery without worrying about getting a text from your ex or your boss? Close the conversation.  Letting your kid use your phone to watch a video?  Close the conversation. Want to keep a birthday plan a secret?  You get the point.

Now the Catch… 

This good feature also comes with a few misses. First, you can’t lock chats that have been archived yet. To lock, you first have to unarchive them. Next, after you transfer phones, you need to re-lock the chat. Notifications from locked chats won't show the sender or a preview of the message. They will only say "WhatsApp: 1 new message." 

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