Fingerprint unlock arrives on WhatsApp on Android, here is how to use it

WhatsApp has been regularly pushing plenty of updates to its instant messaging app to offer users a secure, private and seamless experience. In the latest development, the Facebook-owned company has introduced a new fingerprint unlock feature designed to provide users an additional layer of security.

The fingerprint unlocks feature is supported on select Android phones. Here is how you can enable it,

Head to Settings > Account > Privacy > Fingerprint lock and then click to turn on the unlock with the fingerprint. You will be required to confirm your fingerprint.

The fingerprint unlock arrives after the instant messaging app recently introduced new privacy settings for groups designed especially for users in India to curb the spread of misinformation on the platform particularly from group chats.

Users can now decide who is allowed to add them to a group. The app now offers the option to choose ‘nobody’. This feature is being rolled out to global users on both Android and iOS too. It has also been reported that WhatsApp is remotely activating the feature in iOS beta 2.19.110.20 and Android beta 2.19.298. The company has also announced a new blacklist option under privacy settings. Now, besides Everyone and My Contacts, there is also a third option — ‘My Contacts Except’ which will let you select the users who first are required to gain permission from you before adding you to a group. Also, if you add a new contact and you want them in the blacklist, you have to do it manually.

On the other hand, if you use WhatsApp on an old phone or older Android versions, we recommend you to switch to a new phone or upgrade your phone to a newer Android version as WhatsApp will no longer be supported by phone running Android version 2.3.7 or iPhones that are running on iOS 8 or older versions. If you are using any of these versions on either Android or iOS, we recommend you to upgrade your devices to a newer version as WhatsApp will not work on these phones starting February 1, 2020.

Additionally, WhatsApp will also stop working on all Windows phone operating systems starting from December 31, 2019.