How to set up fingerprint lock on WhatsApp for Android

Earlier today, WhatsApp announced that it is rolling out fingerprint lock for Android users globally. This feature has already been available for iOS users for quite some time. Now Android users can also protect their WhatsApp using fingerprint lock.

Also see: How to enable TouchID or FaceID Authentication on WhatsApp for iOS

Before this feature, Android users needed a third-party app lock app or UI’s native app lock feature. If you are an Android user and want to know how to use WhatsApp’s native fingerprint lock feature, keep reading.

Set up fingerprint lock on WhatsApp for Android

The process is straightforward. Before you start, make sure you have the latest WhatsApp app install on your phone. Now when you are ready, follow these steps,

Step 1: Tap on the 3-dot menu icon at the top right and then select the “Account” option.

Step 2: Now go to “Privacy” and you will see the “fingerprint lock” option at the bottom side. Tap on it.

Step 3: In the next Window, enable the “Unblock with fingerprint” option.

Step 4: It will then ask you to confirm with your fingerprint and then select time duration after which the app should ask for fingerprint authentication. Options include every time, 1 minute and 30 minutes. If you select 1 minute, you can reopen the app within 1 minute without needing fingerprint authentication.

There’s also an option to show/hide content from the notification. If you do not want to see message content in notifications, enable it.

Now close the WhatsApp and try to reopen. If you have enabled Immediately automatic lock, the app should ask you to authenticate using fingerprint before accessing the app.

Final words

Fingerprint authentication was a much-requested feature. Now, most of the Android phones come with a fingerprint sensor. So, adding it for app authentication makes sense and also makes the process faster. No one wants his/her chats to be accessed by anyone. So putting fingerprint authentication will make their chats personal and secure.

If you find any difficulty in enabling the fingerprint lock on WhatsApp for Android, you can let me know using the comments section. I will surely help you.