WhatsApp is testing a lockdown mode for your most private chats
WhatsApp is testing an “Advanced Chat Privacy” feature, discovered in its latest iOS beta, designed to add extra security for sensitive conversations in both individual and group chats.
First reported by WABetaInfo after spotting it hidden in the beta available via TestFlight, the feature aims to provide a “new layer of privacy and security,” making chat content more difficult for others to share.
Chats with advanced privacy enabled come with specific restrictions: they cannot be exported, media shared within them won’t automatically save to the device’s photo library, and Meta AI functionalities are completely disabled for that conversation.
This capability is being developed for both one-on-one and group discussions, offering users more granular control over important messages dealing with sensitive topics, supplementing existing options like disappearing messages.
Image: WABetaInfo
Activating advanced privacy will be optional and managed on a per-chat basis. When a user turns the feature on for a conversation, other participants will receive a notification.
Separately, WhatsApp recently updated its iOS app, allowing users running iOS 18.2 or later to set it as the default application for calls and messages on their iPhone. The app is available for free on the App Store.