WhatsApp is introducing a powerful new “Advanced Chat Privacy” feature designed to stop conversations from being taken outside the app.
The feature, now rolling out in the latest version of the app, lets users block others from exporting chat history and automatically downloading media like photos and videos.
This new privacy setting applies to both individual and group chats, and it also restricts messages from being used with Meta AI features, such as in-chat questions and image generation.
By default, WhatsApp allows media to be saved to your device and chats to be exported to other apps like email or notes. However, enabling Advanced Chat Privacy disables those functions, adding a new layer of control — especially useful for sensitive group discussions where not all participants are well-known to each other.
While it doesn’t yet prevent screenshots or manual media saves, WhatsApp spokesperson Zade Alsawah told The Verge that this is just the “first version” of the feature, with more protections expected in future updates.
To enable the feature, simply open a chat, tap the name at the top, and select Advanced Chat Privacy.
