After protecting your private conversations with end-to-end encryption, it seems WhatsApp wants to give you even greater peace of mind by adding passcode protection to its app.

The feature was uncovered by a team of translators which helps convert WhatsApp into other languages.

If you’re sensible, your smartphone is already protected by some kind of lock. These days, it’s typically a fingerprint backed up by a passcode or password. But for sensitive apps — like those you use to have private conversations — an extra layer of protection is always welcome.

[contextly_auto_sidebar] WhatsApp recognizes that, so it’s working to add a six-digit passcode lock to its mobile apps. Translators have been asked to convert phrases like “enter the current six-digit passcode,” “passcodes don’t match,” and “enter a recovery email address” from English to Dutch.

It’s not yet clear if this passcode will be optional or mandatory, but it seems unlikely WhatsApp would suddenly force it upon its users. It’s also unclear whether you’ll be able to use biometric security on devices that have fingerprint and iris scanners.

It’s worth noting, however, that just because WhatsApp has asked for these phrases to be translated, there’s no guarantee the passcode lock will make it into a public version of the app.

What we can be sure of is that WhatsApp is at least exploring it, and for those who like to keep their conversations with friends completely under wraps, that’s promising news.

Via: Android Authority