WhatsApp Introduces 'Restricted Chat' Feature to Enhance Privacy on Primary Devices
WhatsApp is developing a new privacy control called 'Restricted Chat,' designed to keep selected conversations exclusively on a user's primary mobile phone. This feature aims to prevent protected chats from syncing to linked devices such as WhatsApp Web, desktop sessions, and secondary phones connected to the same account. Identified in Android beta version 2.26.36.5, the 'Restricted Chat' is an evolution of WhatsApp’s existing Advanced Chat Privacy setting. When activated, the conversation will not appear on linked devices, media will not automatically save to a device’s gallery, messages cannot be used with Meta AI features, and chat history cannot be exported. WhatsApp will also display a system notification within the conversation when the Advanced Chat Privacy setting is changed, making the privacy status visible to all participants. The feature is currently under development and not yet available to beta testers, with no public release date announced.