WhatsApp is testing a new privacy feature designed to give users greater control over sensitive conversations.
The feature is called Restricted Chat and is currently being tested on Android devices. It adds extra protections beyond the app’s existing privacy settings.
Restricted Chat can stop selected conversations from appearing on linked devices. These include laptops, tablets, and WhatsApp Web.
The feature is currently available to a limited number of beta testers. A wider rollout has not yet been announced.
What Is WhatsApp Restricted Chat?
Restricted Chat allows users to apply additional privacy controls to specific conversations.
Once enabled, the protected conversation can only be accessed through the user’s primary smartphone.
The chat will not appear on other devices linked to the same account. This provides another barrier for conversations containing sensitive information.
The feature was previously known as Advanced Chat Privacy. However, WhatsApp has renamed it Restricted Chat. The new name helps distinguish the feature from the platform’s standard end-to-end encryption.
Restricted Chat Blocks Media Saving and Exports
Restricted Chat does more than prevent linked-device access. Media received through a restricted conversation will not automatically appear in the phone’s photo gallery.
Users will also be unable to export the conversation’s chat history. Meta AI features and certain automated tools will also be disabled within protected conversations.
These restrictions are designed to reduce the ways sensitive messages and media can leave a private conversation.
Why Are Linked Devices Restricted?
Linked devices allow users to access their conversations across multiple platforms.
However, third-party services and unofficial clients can sometimes rely on linked-device connections to interact with account data.
The new feature limits this access for selected conversations.
When Restricted Chat is activated, those conversations remain limited to the primary smartphone. This approach can reduce the number of devices and external services capable of accessing protected messages.
The restriction applies even when other devices remain connected to the user’s account.
How to Enable Restricted Chat on Android
The feature is being tested through WhatsApp Android Beta version 2.26.39.11.
Only a limited group of beta users currently has access through the Google Play Store. Eligible users can open the conversation they want to protect.
They should then tap the contact or group name to access the Chat Info section.
If Restricted Chat is available, users can find the option there and enable it. After activation, the app displays a notice inside the conversation.
The message explains that the restricted conversation is only accessible through the primary smartphone.
Wider WhatsApp Rollout Not Confirmed
Restricted Chat remains under development and testing. As a result, its design or functionality could change before a wider release.
WhatsApp has not yet made the feature available to all Android users.
In other news read more about: WhatsApp Could Soon Turn Your Voice Into Text Without Internet
Users without the option will need to wait for a future beta or stable update if the feature receives a broader rollout.
