WhatsApp has announced a new feature that will come in handy mainly for those with slightly too nosy friends or partners. Secret Codes will make the current Chat Lock tool even more secure by hiding certain conversations.
I already talked about it briefly this morning in The Quick Bite, but I’d like to let you know more about this new WhatsApp feature. While this is obviously nice for curious partners or friends, this feature just generally offers much more protection. And that’s always a good thing.
WhatsApp feature helps against nosy partners
We all know the scenario where you lend your Android smartphone or iPhone to a friend, girlfriend or partner, but are not quite sure if this person will stay out of certain conversations. The reason why something is secret doesn’t matter, but there are some conversations you just want to keep private.
Chat Lock can currently lock all these conversations and place them in a separate folder. Then that folder can be accessed with your phone’s password or biometric unlocking. But that’s still not enough to keep out certain people, especially your partner. That’s why Secret Codes, a new feature from WhatsApp, is the ideal solution.
Secret Codes allow users to set up a second password completely separate from the one you use to unlock your phone. Creating a Secret Code even makes your locked folder disappear completely from your inbox, adding an extra layer of privacy to your conversations.
To make these hidden chats visible again, simply enter the code you just created directly into the search bar on the main page.
This is how to create a new Secret Code
If you have locked a conversation in Chat Lock, you can also add a Secret Code to it. To do this, go to the top right corner, tap the three dots and select “Chat Lock Settings.”
In that menu you then activate the option for a Secret Code and come up with a password you want to use for this. This can just be a normal password with numbers and characters, but WhatsApp also offers the option of using emojis.
And no, this feature is not meant to cheat on your partner, but can be very useful, for example, if you are arranging a gift or trying to plan a fun outing.
Or you just don’t want certain people nosing around in your conversations. Of course, that’s possible, too.