WhatsApp adds fingerprint lock for Android to stop friends sneaking a look at your private messages

WhatsApp is introducing a new feature for Android users – a fingerprint lock that will prevent your friends and family from sneaking a look at your private messages when you leave the room. If Android users choose to enable the new feature on their phone, then anyone attempting to open WhatsApp will be required to scan their fingerprint before they can read the messages stored in the app. A similar feature was introduced on WhatsApp for iOS earlier this year, giving iPhone users the ability to protect their messages using either the phone's fingerprint reader (Touch ID) or Apple's facial recognition system (Face ID). However, this is the first time the feature will be available on Android devices, providing an'extra layer of security' for WhatsApp users who own devices running Google's software. Users of WhatsApp for Android can enable the new feature by opening the WhatApp app and going to Settings Account Privacy Fingerprint lock. Here they can turn on the'Unlock with fingerprint' feature, and choose whether the lock activates immediately, after one minute, or after 30 minutes.