WhatsApp offers a feature called 'Restricted Chat'. It allows users to control the visibility and notifications of a conversationThis is useful if you want to maintain more privacy or minimize distractions.
This tool is available for Android and iOS mobile devices, making it accessible to any user of this meta social network.
The process for controlling or hiding a conversation is as follows and doesn't differ much between iOS and Android:
- Open WhatsApp.
- Select and hold the chat.
- Press the three dots located at the top right of the screen.
- Select 'Control Chat'.
- Confirm the action with your fingerprint or Face ID in case of iPhone.
Once this is done, WhatsApp will create a new folder called 'Restricted', which will be above 'Archived'. When there are new messages from these hidden chats, a 'New Message' notification will appear.
If the user wants the 'Restricted' folder not to appear, they need to go to 'Settings to restrict chats' and select the 'Hide restricted chats' option. Thus, the 'Restricted' folder will not show above 'Archived' and the only way to access these chats will be through new message notifications.
The secret code is the pin and optional used to access the restricted chats on WhatsApp. This pin can only be enabled when the user has chats in the restricted chats folder.
Follow the steps below to activate the secret code on WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp.
- Go to 'Controlled' folder.
- Select 'Generate Secret Code'.
- Add the pin and confirm it.
Once the passcode is activated, the user can access their blocked chats using three options: Fingerprint, Face ID (on iPhone), or a newly created PIN.
Here are the step-by-step instructions to disable restricted chats on WhatsApp:
- Open the WhatsApp app.
- Go to 'Settings'.
- Go to 'Privacy' and then 'Control Chat'.
- Select 'Stop blocking and clear blocked chats'.
- Confirm selection with your fingerprint or Face ID.
When you do this, the blocked chat will be moved to the main conversations list, but it will remain empty.
Controlling chats on WhatsApp allows users to keep conversations separate from the main list without deleting or archiving them. This feature offers several advantages:
- Hides chats– Restricted chats are not displayed in the main chats list, providing additional privacy.
- Notification Control: You can adjust notification settings for these chats individually, reducing distractions.
- Space management: Although hidden, blocked chats still save messages and make it easy to access them when needed.
For example, If a person receives messages from a contact, he often does not want to be contactedInstead of blocking the connection entirely or deleting the conversation, you can choose to moderate that chat, such as when a casual acquaintance or colleague sends non-urgent messages.
Restricting a chat will move it to the Restricted Chats folder, where it won't be visible in the main chat list. It allows you to manage communications without losing access to the conversation, keeping it out of the main view.
If a user doesn't want to control the chat, they can choose to archive it and turn off their notifications. To do this, you need to select the conversation and press the file icon and the mute notification icon.