WhatsApp Restricted Chat Feature: WhatsApp is testing a new feature to improve the privacy of its users. It's called Restricted Chat. This feature will allow users to restrict specific chats to their primary smartphone. This means that selected conversations won't sync to WhatsApp Web, laptops, tablets, or other linked phones. However, this feature is currently in beta testing and isn't available to all users.

Nowadays, a large number of people use WhatsApp on their smartphones as well as laptops and computers. WhatsApp Web is very convenient for office workers, but it can also pose privacy concerns.

Many times, users leave WhatsApp logged in at work or on a shared computer. In such a situation, their personal conversations are at risk of being exposed to others.

To mitigate this problem, WhatsApp is developing an option that will prevent a specific conversation from being visible on other devices.

What is WhatsApp Restricted Chat feature?

Restricted Chat is a new privacy feature, which is being said to be an extension of WhatsApp's Advanced Chat Privacy option.

With its help, users will be able to choose which personal conversations should be available only on their main smartphone.

If Restricted Chat is turned on for a chat, the conversation will not sync across linked devices, according to beta reports.

This may include WhatsApp Web, desktop apps, tablets, and secondary smartphones.

The feature aims to give users more control over the privacy of select chats without turning off the entire WhatsApp Web service.

What is the difference between Advanced Chat Privacy and Restricted Chat?

WhatsApp had earlier introduced the Advanced Chat Privacy feature.

This includes options like exporting chats, automatically saving media to the gallery, and limiting the use of certain Meta AI features within chats.

However, conversations may still be visible on linked devices even with Advanced Chat Privacy turned on.

The new Restricted Chat feature is being designed to bridge this gap.

This comparison is based on beta reports. Features may change before the public release.

How to enable Restricted Chat on WhatsApp?

If the Restricted Chat feature is available on your WhatsApp account, it can be enabled from your primary smartphone.

For this, follow the steps given below.

Step 1: First, open WhatsApp on your main Android smartphone or iPhone.

Step 2: Now open the individual chat that you want to hide from the laptop or other linked device.

Step 3: Tap the contact's name that appears at the top of the chat screen.

Step 4: Now find the Restricted Chat option in the Chat Info section.

Step 5: If this option is visible, turn on the corresponding toggle.

Step 6: Once the feature is activated, a notification regarding it may appear in the chat.

According to beta reports, the Restricted Chat option may appear in supported versions, replacing the existing Advanced Chat Privacy setting.

If you only see the Advanced Chat Privacy option, it's possible that the new feature isn't available on your account yet.

In which WhatsApp versions is the new feature available?

According to the information given in the source, the Restricted Chat feature was being tested in the beta versions of Android and iOS till the end of October 2026.

The feature is reportedly in testing on Android via Google Play's beta program and on iPhone via TestFlight.

However, simply installing the relevant beta version does not guarantee that you will get the feature.

WhatsApp is making it available in a phased manner.

Will turning on Restricted Chat also delete old chats from the laptop?

This is a significant limitation of this feature.

According to the beta report, messages that were synced on the linked device before turning on Restricted Chat will not be automatically deleted.

So if you already have a private conversation available on your office computer, simply turning on Restricted Chat may not be enough.

In such a situation, it would be better to log out of WhatsApp from the concerned device.

The new feature is primarily being designed to prevent further chat sync.

Will the other person's chat also be affected?

The impact of Restricted Chat may not be limited to just the person who turned on the feature.

According to the source, if this setting is activated in an individual conversation, the availability of that chat will also be affected on the other person's linked device.

This means that the person concerned will also not be able to see that conversation on his laptop or other linked device.

So before turning on the feature, it's important to understand that it could change the way both people use chat.

Can Restricted Chat be used in WhatsApp Groups as well?

Currently, according to beta reports, Restricted Chat is designed only for personal conversations.

This option is not said to be available in group chats.

However, the Advanced Chat Privacy feature supported in groups can be used.

Whether WhatsApp will expand the scope of this feature in the future will become clearer after the public release.

What to do if you don't get the Restricted Chat feature?

If you don't see the Restricted Chat option on your WhatsApp right now, you can still reduce the risk of private conversations by using some existing security features.

1. Check WhatsApp's Linked Devices

First, check all the devices connected to your WhatsApp account.

For Android users:

Open WhatsApp and tap the three-dot menu at the top.

After this select Linked Devices option.

For iPhone users:

Open Settings in WhatsApp and go to the Linked Devices section.

Now here you can see the list of devices linked to the account.

2. Quickly log out of unknown devices

If you see a computer, tablet, or phone in the list that you don’t recognize, taps it.

After this select Log Out option.

Similarly, remove old devices that you no longer use from your account.

3. Avoid leaving WhatsApp login on the office computer

If you use WhatsApp Web on a shared computer or office laptop, log out when you're done.

This can reduce the risk of other people seeing your conversations.

4. Turn on Two-Step Verification

The two-step verification available in WhatsApp helps increase account security.

To turn it on, open Account in WhatsApp Settings and then the Two-Step Verification option.

After this, set the security PIN as per the instructions given on the screen.

5. Keep your phone and WhatsApp secure

Install a strong screen lock on your smartphone.

Where available, use fingerprint or face authentication for WhatsApp.

Also, keep updating the app from the official app store.

Can Chat Lock hide WhatsApp chats on a laptop?

WhatsApp also has a feature called Chat Lock, which can provide additional security to selected phone conversations.

However, the purpose of Chat Lock and Restricted Chat is different.

Chat Lock is primarily meant to secure access to conversations, while Restricted Chat is specifically designed to prevent chat syncing across linked devices.

Therefore, Chat Lock should not be considered a completely equivalent alternative to Restricted Chat.

If your main goal is to prevent private chats from appearing on office or shared computers, logging out of unnecessary linked devices is a more reliable solution for now.

Will Restricted Chat also prevent screenshots?

No. According to beta reports, the purpose of Restricted Chat is to prevent syncing of conversations across linked devices and limit certain chat features.

This won't completely prevent someone else from taking screenshots, writing down message information, or sharing the conversation in other ways.

Therefore, it is important to take normal precautions when sending sensitive information.

When will WhatsApp Restricted Chat be launched?

According to the report published on November 1, 2026, WhatsApp had not announced the public release date of the Restricted Chat feature.

The feature is reportedly in limited beta testing on Android and iOS.

It is possible that the company may make changes to the feature during testing.

Therefore, it is not possible at present to tell the exact date of its arrival to all the users.

Conclusion

WhatsApp's Restricted Chat feature can prove useful for those who use their account on a laptop, tablet, or other smartphone, but want to limit some personal conversations to the main phone only.

This allows you to isolate select individual chats from linked devices without shutting down the entire WhatsApp Web service.

However, this feature is currently in beta testing and does not guarantee automatic deletion of already synced messages.

Until this feature is available to all users, regular checks of linked devices, logging out of unknown devices, and keeping WhatsApp's security settings on are best practices.