- The
WhatsApp Protect Backup option is an upcoming security feature in the world’s most popular messaging app. - Users will be able to protect their
WhatsApp chat backups using a password. - Currently, WhatsApp chat backups on Google Drive are not encrypted.
WhatsApp Protect Backup feature has been spotted in the latest Android beta update. The new feature will encrypt and protect WhatsApp chat backups online with a password. This will prevent others from accessing the contents of your WhatsApp backups.
According to a report by WhatsApp tracker WABetaInfo, the latest WhatsApp for Android beta update includes this new Protect Backup feature. However, the report notes that the feature is not available to users yet, so you cannot use it right now.
What does WhatsApp Protect Backup feature do?
As the name signifies, the WhatsApp Protect Backup feature lets you protect your chat backups using a password. So, whether you backup your WhatsApp chats online or not, the content of the backups will not be accessible by anyone – not even WhatsApp or Google.
The report notes that the Protect Backup feature is still in very early stages of development, so WhatsApp users will have to wait until it is rolled out officially.
Earlier, WhatsApp added another safety feature called two step verification. This feature lets you protect your WhatsApp chats with a six digit code. WhatsApp requires users to enter this code at periodic intervals to make sure that others cannot gain unauthorized access to your WhatsApp account.
Download the latest WhatsApp for Android beta update from Google Play store.
WhatsApp for iPhone to get a revamp soon
WhatsApp is also working on updating the design of the iOS version. According to the report, WhatsApp for iOS is all set to gain some major aesthetic changes with new features like long-press/slide options for messages and a brand new dark theme.
This new context menu includes shortcuts like star message, reply, forward and copy. This means that you don’t have to reach for the top menu anymore, which is helpful on phones with big displays.
The report notes that it might be a while before these features are available to stable users. If you cannot wait, you can download the WhatsApp for iOS beta update from Apple’s TestFlight program here.
See also:
How to fact check fake news on WhatsApp
WhatsApp ‘Delete for everyone’: Everything you need to know before you delete a message
WhatsApp: Here’s how to hide and unhide messages in WhatsApp