Not a fan of everyone knowing what your WhatsApp chats look like? Here’s one for you. The latest app update for iOS comes with support for biometric authentication, giving you an option to lock the app with Face ID or Touch ID.
The feature brings about an extra layer of security to your private WhatsApp conversations, besides the confidence in end-to-end encryption that the chat app is known to have.
How to lock WhatsApp using Face ID and Touch ID
You can access and turn on the feature by updating your app to the latest version, 2.19.20, from the Apple App Store. From here, you go to Settings then to Account, to Privacy, from where you switch Screen Lock on.
The lock feature doesn’t work on a per-chat basis but it instead locks up the entire app. However, you will still be able to view your WhatsApp notifications if at all you choose to display your message previews, and have the ability to quick reply within iOS.
You’ll also still be able to receive and answer calls.
The feature is only officially available within the iOS version of the app currently, but there are prospective suggestions that an Android update may have it as well soon.
Touch ID is available on the iPhone 5S and beyond, while Face ID is available on the iPhone X and later.
This development is an addition to a number of updates made recently including stickers for both Android and iOS app users, which users can now download and use for expression in chats; private replies for group chats on Android; and the Picture-in-picture mode also recently introduced to allow for video play wihtin a chat when you receive links of videos hosted on YouTube, Facebook, Streamable, or Instagram.
Additionally, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the company plans to merge Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram to create a safer experience.
