WhatsApp users will soon be able to secure their chat backups with a password. This will be an optional feature and users will reportedly be able to turn it off whenever they like.
Wabetainfo reports that the feature is a part of WhatsApp's new 2.20.66 beta update, and is under development right now. It will allow users to encrypt their chat backup with a password, so they would be certain that nobody (neither WhatsApp nor Google) will be able to see the content.
As of now, WhatsApp only allows its users to backup their conversations to Google Drive account to avoid losing them. This might change in future. Users will not only be able to save their chats but also protect them with a password for added security. The report further notes, "At the moment we have not other details, but it’s easy to understand that the user might not be able to restore his chat history if he loses the password used to encrypt the database."
The "password protect backup" feature will most likely be made available in the Settings option under the 'Chats' section.
It is vital to note here that WhatsApp hasn't officially announced the feature yet, and only submitted an update through Google Play Beta program. The feature is currently under development and not available for use to end-users.
We should know more details about the feature in the coming days.
