WhatsApp’s restricted chat feature is now available to these users
WhatsApp has started rolling out its new Restricted Chat feature to select beta users on both Android and iPhone, introducing an additional layer of privacy controls for sensitive conversations. The feature, first spotted in development last month, is currently available to some users running WhatsApp beta version 2.26.39.11 on Android and version 26.39.10.20 on iOS.According to reports from WABetaInfo, Restricted Chat is an upgraded version of the existing Advanced Chat Privacy feature. WhatsApp is replacing the earlier feature with a clearer name to emphasise that it acts as an optional layer of control rather than a requirement for secure messaging. Messages and calls on WhatsApp remain protected by end-to-end encryption regardless of whether Restricted Chat is enabled.
Who can access it right now
The feature is currently limited to beta testers only, rolling out gradually rather than all at once:* Android: Available to some users running WhatsApp beta version 2.26.39.11, downloaded through the Google Play Store’s beta testing programme.* iOS: Available to a limited number of beta testers running WhatsApp beta version 26.39.10.20 through TestFlight.WhatsApp hasn’t announced when Restricted Chat will reach the stable, public version of the app on either platform, so for now it remains exclusive to those enrolled in beta testing on both operating systems.
What restricted chat actually does
Restricted Chat is essentially an upgraded, clearer version of WhatsApp’s existing Advanced Chat Privacy feature. The original feature had reportedly confused some users into thinking their chats weren’t secure without it enabled — when in reality, WhatsApp always protects messages and calls with end-to-end encryption regardless of whether the feature is turned on. Restricted Chat is designed to make clear that it’s an optional extra layer of control, not a requirement for secure messaging.Once enabled from a conversation’s chat info screen, the feature applies four restrictions to that chat for everyone involved:1. Media sent in the chat is no longer automatically saved to the device gallery.2. The chat can no longer be exported.3. Meta AI features can’t be used within that specific conversation.4. The chat becomes unavailable on any linked devices.That fourth restriction is new, and arguably the most significant change compared to the older Advanced Chat Privacy feature, which did remain accessible on linked devices.
Why the linked-device restriction matters most
Unofficial WhatsApp clients and AI agents typically access conversations through linked devices, since that’s the channel they rely on to read messages. By cutting off that connection for a specific chat, Restricted Chat effectively closes the door these tools use to access conversations — meaning that even if someone has connected an unofficial app or an AI agent to their WhatsApp account, that tool won’t be able to read messages inside a chat that’s been restricted.When a chat is restricted, WhatsApp displays a system message confirming that messages in that conversation can only be sent and received on the primary device, making sure everyone in the chat is aware the restriction has been applied.
