Consistent Security: WhatsApp Web to Introduce Chat Lock Feature, Resembling Android and iOS Counterparts
After introducing the Chat Lock feature for Android and iOS users in May 2023, WhatsApp left its Web client without this privacy-enhancing feature. However, recent reports suggest that the popular messaging platform is actively working to bring the Chat Lock functionality to WhatsApp Web. Earlier indications hinted at a redesigned sidebar for Web users, and now, a leaked image provides a glimpse of the upcoming Chat Lock feature. The leaked image showcases a dedicated icon strategically placed on the new sidebar.
According to insights from WABetaInfo, WhatsApp aims to extend the convenience of the Chat Lock feature to Web users. This feature empowers users to lock individual chats on the web client, adding an additional layer of security. This becomes particularly valuable when users want to keep a specific conversation private or share sensitive information securely.
The leaked image unveils a padlock icon positioned next to the Archived Chats and Starred Messages icon, suggesting that locked messages will be housed within this tab. The addition of a second layer of security is expected to enhance the overall protection of these locked chats, offering users more control over their privacy on the WhatsApp Web platform.
Since there are no reports on how this feature will function, details about it are not available. However, the Android and iOS counterpart uses passcode, fingerprint, and Face ID authentication as input to unlock the chats. On the Web client, passwords or even passkeys, a passwordless authentication method that lets users log in with biometrics, can be used for this purpose.
Apart from this, WhatsApp Web is also expected to get a redesigned sidebar and a new colour scheme for the dark theme. An earlier report stated that the colour change was done to reduce eye strain in low-light environments, while the new sidebar was added to create design symmetry across all of the company’s platforms.
WhatsApp is also planning several new features for its mobile applications. For iOS, WhatsApp is reportedly working on adding support for passkeys, which was previously added to its Android counterpart. All iPhone models running on iOS 17 are expected to support third-party access to passkeys. This means iPhone XR or newer models with the iOS 17 update would be the only ones to activate passkeys on the WhatsApp app.
On Android, the Meta-owned app is working on a nearby file-sharing feature, as per a separate report. This is expected to work similarly to Android’s Quick Share (previously known as Nearby Share) feature. The WhatsApp feature appears to let users set themselves to be visible to other nearby users without revealing their phone number to non-contacts. It is also expected to be end-to-end encrypted to maintain privacy.