Are you usually concerned about people going through your chats on WhatsApp whenever you hand them your phone? You don't have to worry anymore because WhatsApp has rolled out a new feature that enables Android users to lock the app with their fingerprint.
This new fingerprint lock feature for Android users comes months after WhatsApp added the Touch ID and Face ID features for iPhone users.
To enable this feature, you need a smartphone with a fingerprint sensor and the latest version of WhatsApp Messenger. The fingerprint feature uses any fingerprint that has been added to the smartphone security to unlock the app.
How to set up fingerprint lock on WhatsApp for Android
Before you follow these steps, ensure your WhatsApp Messenger is updated.
- Open WhatsApp, go to ‘Settings’
- Select ‘Account’
- Tap on ‘Privacy’
- Choose the ‘Fingerprint Lock’ option
- Toggle on the ‘Unlock with Fingerprint’ option, and confirm your fingerprint
- Once it’s turned it on, you will be required to select your preferred time limit with ‘Immediately’, ‘After 1 minute’, or ‘After 30 minutes’ the available options.
How to set up fingerprint lock on WhatsApp for iPhone
Depending on the model of the iPhone, WhatsApp enables users to set the unlock method as either ‘Require Face ID’ or ‘Require Touch ID’. Here are the steps to set up both fingerprint and face ID lock for your iPhone:
- Update and open WhatsApp, go to ‘Settings’
- Select ‘Account’
- Tap on ‘Privacy’
- Choose the ‘Screen Lock’ option
- Toggle on ‘Require Face ID’ or ‘Require Touch ID’ option
- Once it’s turned it on, you will be required to select your preferred time limit with ‘Immediately’, ‘After 1 minute’, or ‘After 30 minutes’ the available options
As soon as the fingerprint lock feature has been activated for both Android and iPhone, you can't access WhatsApp chats without unlocking the app using a fingerprint saved on the smartphone but you will still be able to answer WhatsApp calls.
It is also important to note that this new feature isn't available on a desktop because opening WhatsApp on the web doesn't require the use of a fingerprint.
