Back in October last year, we told you about WhatsApp testing a new feature that would let users lock WhatsApp with Touch ID or Face ID. Well, WhatsApp is done testing that feature now and it’s now available for iPhone users on the stable channel.
With update 2.19.120, WhatsApp has rolled out this new feature called ‘Screen Lock’ for its iPhone users. It can be found on iPhones under the Settings > Account > Privacy menu of WhatsApp. With this Screen Lock enabled, you can unlock WhatsApp using your fingerprint or face.
Those who own any of the iPhones between 5s and 8 Plus will be able to unlock WhatsApp with their fingerprint. And, those who own iPhone X, XR, XS, or XS Max will be able to unlock WhatsApp with their face. However, if for some reason you are not able to unlock WhatsApp with your fingerprint or face, you will have the option to unlock the app with your iPhone’s passcode.
Having said that, even if you enable the Screen Lock feature, you will still be able to reply to messages from notifications and answer incoming calls. But, to open the app, you will have to use your fingerprint or face depending on which iPhone you use.
WhatsApp started testing a similar feature for Android users earlier last month, and we expect it to be rolled out for all the users soon.
