WhatsApp users just got a fantastic free security upgrade

WhatsApp is one of the most popular chat messaging services available right now. Universal across iPhones and Android phones, the app is even making its way onto smartwatches, with the news that a Wear OS version is in testing.

Now, users are getting a fantastic new feature. Starting today, you can choose to lock certain chats. These won't come up in your usual feed, instead being found in a hidden 'Locked Chats' group which can be found by pulling down the main chat menu.

A password or biometric unlock will be needed to open the chat menu. Notifications from locked chats will also be anonymised, simply showing as a new WhatsApp message rather than displaying the sender and a message preview.

It's a brilliant upgrade and a really fantastic new feature. Users can give themselves a greater degree of privacy for chats that could be sensitive, without needing to have the whole app locked down.

That's great for keeping prying eyes away from private conversations. If your phone is taken, for example, you can rest assured that the most sensitive information is tougher to access.

It's not stopping there, either. Meta have confirmed that the feature will evolve in the next few months, also seeing support on companion devices, and allowing users to choose a different password to the one used on their phone, for another layer of security.

The feature is rolling out globally, and users could see the update available from today.