WhatsApp Brings Restricted Chat to iOS to Block Linked Devices
- WhatsApp is introducing an upgraded chat privacy feature on iOS that lets users restrict specific conversations and block access from linked devices, wabetainfo.com reported.
- Once enabled for an individual chat, the setting enforces four distinct limitations for participants running the latest version of the application.
- Messages and calls inside restricted conversations retain end-to-end encryption regardless of whether the restriction toggle is turned on.
WhatsApp is introducing an upgraded chat privacy feature on iOS that lets users restrict specific conversations and block access from linked devices, wabetainfo.com reported. The functionality, discovered in the WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.39.10.20 via TestFlight, mirrors a restriction rollout previously deployed for Android users.
Users can activate the feature directly from the chat info screen, where WhatsApp has replaced the older advanced chat privacy menu with a dedicated Restricted Chat option. The application displays a breakdown of the specific restrictions applied before users confirm the toggle.
Four Restrictions Applied to Restricted iOS Chats
Once enabled for an individual chat, the setting enforces four distinct limitations for participants running the latest version of the application. The system automatically prevents media from being saved directly to the device gallery and blocks conversation exports.
The feature also cuts off Meta AI features within the restricted thread. The configuration also severs access from linked devices, meaning secondary hardware and third-party AI agents connected through linked device channels cannot read or interact with the messages.
End-to-End Encryption Remains Active
Messages and calls inside restricted conversations retain end-to-end encryption regardless of whether the restriction toggle is turned on. WhatsApp highlights this through an explicit privacy promise on the restricted chat screen, clarifying that the feature provides an additional layer of control rather than altering the underlying encryption architecture.
The functionality remains strictly optional. Users decide which individual conversations require the restriction, while all other app features continue operating normally.
Restricted Chat Rolls Out to Beta Testers
The Restricted Chat feature is currently rolling out gradually to a limited number of beta testers on TestFlight. Users who do not immediately see the option in their chat info screen will receive it in a subsequent update.
WhatsApp has not announced a specific release date for bringing the Restricted Chat feature to the public stable version of the iOS application.