WhatsApp testing new privacy feature to stop others from saving your chats

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is working on a powerful new privacy feature that will make your private conversations even more secure.

According to WABetaInfo, a reliable source for WhatsApp updates, the messaging app is testing an “advanced chat privacy” option in its latest beta version for iOS (25.10.10.70) and earlier for Android. Once rolled out, this feature will help stop others from saving your chats or exporting your full chat history—giving users more control over how their messages are handled.

If you turn on this new privacy setting in any chat—whether one-on-one or in a group—people in that chat won’t be able to automatically save media like photos and videos to their phone's gallery. This already happens in chats where disappearing messages are enabled, and now it’s being expanded to regular chats too.

But it doesn’t stop there. WhatsApp is also planning to block the option to export full chat histories when this setting is enabled. This means no more copying entire conversations and sending them elsewhere. Whether it's sensitive personal talks or confidential group messages, this feature will help keep them securely inside the app.

Interestingly, while this setting adds an extra layer of protection, users will still be able to forward individual messages. So if you really need to share something specific, you still can. Also, WhatsApp isn’t planning to add screenshot detection, since users could still find workarounds, like using WhatsApp Web.

The feature will be optional if WhatsApp decides to roll this out to a wider audience and can be turned on or off for each chat. And here's the good part, anytime someone in the chat changes the privacy setting, WhatsApp will post a system message so everyone knows about it.