WhatsApp testing advanced chat privacy to limit media sharing and message exports
WhatsApp is testing an optional advanced chat privacy setting to limit the sharing of messages, photos and videos in individual and group conversations.
WABetaInfo today unearthed evidence of a new advanced chat privacy feature in the WhatsApp beta for Android v2.25.10.14 and WhatsApp beta for iOS v25.10.10.70. The feature is currently under development, and not ready for beta testers yet, but will be available in a future update to the app.
When this new privacy option launches for everyone, you will be able to turn it on in chat settings to limit how the messages, photos and videos can be shared externally.
WhatsApp: Advanced chat privacy to restrict media sharing and message exports
The interface unearthed by the publication showcases a new Advanced Chat Privacy screen with a new per-chat setting to restrict automatic media downloads to your phone’s built-in gallery and disable the ability to export the conversation.
Anyone in the chat can activate the optional setting, with WhatsApp notifying everyone of the privacy change. Attempting to save a photo or video from the chat will yield an error message, saying “Advanced chat privacy has been turned on, and prevents media auto-saving to your device’s gallery.”
“Once enabled, it will prevent anyone in the conversation from automatically saving received images and videos to their device’s gallery,” explains the publication. “This behavior already applies to chats with disappearing messages, and WhatsApp now plans to extend it to any conversation where this privacy setting will be turned on.”
The setting is available for individual and group chats. “In addition to limiting media saving, the feature will also block the ability to export the entire chat history, preventing users from transferring chats outside the app,” reads the post. “This ensures that sensitive conversations are kept securely within the WhatsApp ecosystem, where they are subject to the built-in privacy protections of the app.”
No screenshot detection for chats
However, anyone can forward individual messages or screenshot the chat, but at least media exports will not be possible with this privacy feature turned on.
“While users will still be able to forward individual messages to maintain usability, the purpose of this feature is not to block single messages from being shared, but to prevent entire conversations from being easily exported or saved outside the app,” says the publication.
“For this reason, WhatsApp has decided not to introduce screenshot detection for chats. Even if screenshot detection were implemented, users could still bypass it through methods like using WhatsApp Web, where web clients do not offer certain privacy protections available on mobile apps.”
The Meta-owned messaging software has been testing several upcoming features, including adding your Instagram account link to your WhatsApp profile and organizing message replies into threads to make it easier to keep track of responses from specific people in group chats. A recent update to the app brought support for setting WhatsApp as the default calling and messaging app on your iPhone.
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/04/07/meta-whatsapp-advanced-chat-privacy-test-iphone/
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