No more hassle of locking the entire app! Here’s how to lock and hide your personal chats on WhatsApp..

There are some chats on WhatsApp that you may want to keep private—especially if you occasionally let friends or family use your phone. While you could lock the entire app, that can become quite inconvenient when you simply want to show someone a photo or let them make a quick call. WhatsApp’s 'Chat Lock' feature offers an alternative: it allows you to lock specific conversations and move them to a separate folder, which can only be accessed using your phone’s authentication method. You can even hide this folder from your main chat list, ensuring that these conversations remain out of sight. Let’s explore how Chat Lock works, how to set it up, and what you should keep in mind while using it.

What is WhatsApp Chat Lock?
WhatsApp Chat Lock is highly useful when you want to keep certain conversations private without locking the entire app. Once enabled for a specific chat, WhatsApp removes it from your regular chat list and moves it to a separate 'Locked Chats' folder. You can access this folder using your device’s authentication method—such as a fingerprint, facial recognition, or a passcode.

You can use this feature for both individual and group chats, giving you full control over which conversations remain private. Furthermore, WhatsApp hides message details in notifications for locked chats, preventing anyone glancing at your screen from reading the content. If you prefer not to have the 'Locked Chats' folder visible in your chat list at all, you can hide it entirely using a secret code. When a message arrives from a locked chat, the sender's name or a preview of the message will not appear in your notifications. This ensures that even if someone happens to glance at your phone, they won't be able to read the message or identify who it is from. You will be notified that a message has arrived, but to see its content, you must open the locked chat itself.

However, WhatsApp calls function differently. Locking a chat does not prevent the person from calling you on WhatsApp; their calls will continue to come through as usual.

How to lock a WhatsApp chat?
Locking a WhatsApp chat takes only a few simple steps, and you don’t need to make any changes to your other conversations. Here is how to do it:

Open WhatsApp and locate the individual or group chat you wish to lock.
Tap on the contact's name or the group name at the top to open the chat information page.
Scroll down until you find the 'Chat Lock' option, then tap on it.
Enable 'Chat Lock' and follow the on-screen instructions to verify your identity using your device’s authentication method—such as a fingerprint, facial recognition, or your phone's passcode.
WhatsApp will move this conversation to the 'Locked Chats' folder, which requires authentication to access.

Alternatively, you can lock a chat directly from your chat list without opening it first. Simply press and hold the chat, then look for the 'Lock' option in the menu. The exact steps may vary slightly depending on your phone model and the version of WhatsApp you are using.

How to hide 'Locked Chats' on WhatsApp?

WhatsApp also allows you to hide the 'Locked Chats' folder from your regular chat list, so it does not appear alongside your other conversations. To do this, you must first set up a secret code.

Open WhatsApp and swipe down on your chat list to locate the 'Locked Chats' folder. If you have already hidden the folder, enter your secret code into the search bar to make it reappear.

Open 'Locked Chats' and tap on the three-dot menu or the settings option, depending on your device.
Go to 'Chat lock settings' and tap on 'Secret code'.
Choose a code that you will remember but that others cannot easily guess, then enter it again to confirm.

Return to 'Chat lock settings' and turn on 'Hide locked chats'.
Once you have done this, the folder will disappear from your main chat list. Whenever you want to access your conversations, type your secret code into the WhatsApp search bar and tap on 'Locked Chats' when it appears.
Just be sure not to forget your code. Using the WhatsApp reset option may clear your locked chats—including all messages and media—so choose a code that you will always remember.

How to find and open 'Locked Chats'?
Once you have locked a chat, you don’t need to search through all your conversations to find it again. Simply open WhatsApp and swipe down on your chat list to reveal the 'Locked Chats' folder. You can then tap on it and authenticate using your fingerprint, face recognition, or phone passcode, depending on your device. You will then be able to view and reply to your messages as usual.

If you have hidden the folder using a secret code, it will not appear in your chat list at all. To access it, type your code into the WhatsApp search bar. The hidden folder should then appear, and you can tap on it to return to your conversations.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Dainik Jagran. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.