Restricted Chat, what WhatsApp's private conversation does

2026-10-05 · 6 min de leitura · Camila Torres

If you have ever opened WhatsApp Web on a shared computer and felt a knot in your stomach, Restricted Chat was made for you. It is a new kind of conversation that WhatsApp has started testing in beta, and it changes a rule almost no one tracks: what other devices linked to your account can see and copy.

The practical answer depends on how the feature reaches your phone, but the logic is already clear. Until it rolls out to everyone, it is worth using the layers that already exist.

What Restricted Chat is

Restricted Chat shows up in the first tests as a special kind of conversation. When you turn it on for a chat, WhatsApp treats that conversation more tightly than the others. According to outlets following the beta, the idea is to keep the content less exposed, especially when the account is open on other devices.

It is the conversation-level version of a family of measures launched in 2026. WhatsApp hardened account access and added the unknown-number alert and Scam Alert; now it protects at the level of the chat itself. Instead of the whole account, one specific conversation.

While most WhatsApp locks act on the account, Restricted Chat brings that protection inside a single conversation.

What the restricted conversation blocks, and what it does not

According to the outlets following the beta, Restricted Chat limits exporting and sharing the conversation's content, including media, and restricts access from linked devices such as WhatsApp Web and the desktop app. That second point is what matters to anyone who has fallen for an account takeover scam.

• Blocks. Exporting the conversation and sharing media out of the chat, according to the outlets.
• Hampers. Access to the content from linked devices such as WhatsApp Web.
• Does not change. End-to-end encryption, which stays the same.
• Does not replace. Two-step verification and the other security settings.

It is worth being honest about the limits. The feature is not new encryption and does not stop someone with your unlocked phone from seeing the conversation. It closes one specific door: silent access from another device.

Why this matters if you use WhatsApp Web and linked devices

Linked devices are the legitimate way to use the same account on a computer, but that door is exploited in scams. In the vote-link scam, the criminal leads the victim to a fake login page, links their own device and then reads and answers conversations without logging the owner out.

That is why Restricted Chat matters beyond the announcement: it targets the surface scammers use. For anyone using WhatsApp Web on a shared computer, that is a real relief.

The question is not whether someone will get into your account, but for how long and with access to what.

Is Restricted Chat available to you yet

For now, not for everyone. The feature started appearing for beta users on Android and iOS, and Meta has not published an official announcement in its newsroom yet, a sign that it is still in testing. Name and screens can still change before the general release.

If you want to know whether you can use it, look in a conversation's settings for a restricted or protected chat option. If it is not there, your number is not in the tests yet. Do not install modified versions of the app to get it early: that is the kind of file scammers spread.

A beta feature is a promise. A setting turned on is protection. Start with what is already on your phone.

The security layers you can turn on now

Until Restricted Chat arrives, the key is not to rely on a single lock. These measures are available today and, together, cover most of the risk:

1. Turn on two-step verification. The PIN WhatsApp asks for periodically is the second barrier if someone gets your code.
2. Add a passkey. Biometric access replaces the 6-digit code, as shown in the passkey step-by-step.
3. Enable Strict Account Settings. They block moving the account to another device without your confirmation.
4. Review linked devices. In Settings, remove any device you do not recognise.
5. Tidy up your privacy. Review who can see your photo and status in the privacy guide.

If you use WhatsApp for work, add a review routine. Opening the linked devices list once a month takes under a minute and catches the problem while the damage is still small.

The WhatsApp security guide gathers the other locks in one place. The logic behind Restricted Chat is the same: the more layers of protection, the more expensive it gets for the scammer.

Frequently asked questions

What is WhatsApp Restricted Chat?

It is a kind of conversation WhatsApp is testing in beta. According to the outlets following the tests, it limits exporting messages and media and restricts access from linked devices. Meta has not officially announced the feature yet.

What does the restricted conversation block?

According to the first reports, it makes it harder to export or share the conversation's content and limits access from other connected devices. End-to-end encryption does not change, and the feature does not replace two-step verification.

Does Restricted Chat stop access from WhatsApp Web?

The goal is to reduce the reach of marked conversations on other devices. Since the feature is in beta, the exact behaviour may change. In the meantime, check your linked devices list and disconnect anything you do not recognise.

How do I turn on Restricted Chat?

When the feature reaches your number, the option should appear in the conversation's settings. If it is not in your app yet, you are not in the testing phase. Avoid modified app versions to get it early: they are a risk.