Using Fingerprint or Face ID to Secure WhatsApp message

With the addition of a biometric screen lock, WhatsApp users can protect their messages and ensure that unauthorised individuals are unable to gain access to their accounts. In Android devices, the fingerprint scanner is used, and in iPhones, Touch ID or Face ID is used. Making a screen lock for WhatsApp is a simple operation that takes only a few taps to complete. 

Android and iOS users throughout the world use WhatsApp, which is one of the most widely used instant messaging apps in the world. In contrast, while iMessage continues to command a larger slice of the pie on iPhones, it is not available on Android devices, resulting in WhatsApp becoming, for the most part, the dominant chat app for Android smartphones in most countries across the world. A screen lock may be added to both Android and iOS devices, and the process is similar on all platforms.

In order to enable the ‘Fingerprint Lock’ function, launch WhatsApp and select the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner of the screen on Android.  Select “Settings” from the pop-up menu, then choose “Account”. Then click “Privacy” to access the biometric lock feature.

Select ‘Fingerprint Lock’ at the bottom of the next screen, which is located at the bottom of the screen. Finally, toggle the ‘Unlock with fingerprint’ toggle to the on position to make the feature available on that device.

You will be prompted to authenticate your fingerprint before WhatsApp would allow you to turn on the biometric lock. Once the fingerprint lock has been enabled, you will be able to select how quickly the app will automatically lock after it has been closed by selecting the appropriate option. 

‘Immediately’ is the default choice, but you will also have the option of selecting either ‘1 minute’ or’30 minutes’ as a secondary option.

On iOS, the biometric lock option functions in a similar way.  Start by going to the ‘Settings’ tab in the bottom-right corner of your iPhone’s screen. Once in ‘Account,’ pick ‘Privacy,’ and tap on ‘Screen Lock,’ you’ll be presented with a list of biometric options.

Users will be able to choose between Face ID and Touch ID on the screen lock page, depending on their iPhone model. Users can simply turn on the toggle that states ‘Require Face ID (or Touch ID)’ in this section of the website. Users will be able to choose how quickly the app requires authentication once it has been closed, much like they can on Android. 

The default setting will once again be ‘immediately,’ but users will also be able to select from options such as ‘1 minute’ and’30 minutes. There’s also a ‘1-hour’ option, which is absent from the Android version.

The biometric locking feature adds an additional layer of security by restricting individuals from reading private WhatsApp chats. Because only the device owner has access to chats once an app is locked, personal chats can be kept private and secret. 

WhatsApp also provides end-to-end encryption, which further protects users’ privacy and provides them with additional peace of mind. In addition, the app frequently adds new features and functionality, which helps it maintain its position as the top of third-party messaging apps, ahead of competitors such as Signal and Telegram, respectively.