If you’ve ever worried about who might try to reach you on WhatsApp, the company has a new option that makes staying safe much simpler.
WhatsApp is rolling out Strict Account Settings, a high-security mode that bundles multiple privacy protections into a single toggle, giving users a quick way to lock down their accounts.
The update shows a greater push among big tech companies toward “lockdown-style” security features that prioritize security over convenience. While WhatsApp already uses default end-to-end encryption, the company said certain users, including journalists and public figures, may need extreme safeguards against rare but highly sophisticated cyberattacks.
A lockdown-style setting for high-risk users
WhatsApp announced Strict Account Settings as a new security feature to protect users who might be targeted by advanced threats. The company said it believes people should be able to have private conversations online, just as they would in person, with support for end-to-end encryption.
“But we also know that a few of our users — like journalists or public-facing figures — may need extreme safeguards against rare and highly sophisticated cyberattacks,” the company noted.
The setting locks an account into WhatsApp’s most restrictive privacy and security options. Once enabled, it blocks attachments and media from people outside your contacts and limits features like link previews, unknown calls, and group adds to reduce exposure to unwanted interactions.
WhatsApp said that Strict Account Settings is rolling out gradually over the coming weeks and can be enabled in your Settings > Privacy > Advanced.
What changes when Strict Account Settings is enabled
Reuters reported that the one-click mode activates a series of defenses, including blocking media from unknown senders, disabling link previews, and silencing calls from unknown contacts. These areas have been identified as potential vectors for surveillance and advanced hacking.
TechCrunch added that the Strict Account Settings turns on two-step verification by default, along with security notifications. These notifications warn users when a contact’s encryption code changes, which can be a potential sign of a security threat.
The feature also tightens account visibility. “WhatsApp also restricts your last seen and online, profile photo, about details, and links on your profile to only your contacts,” TechCrunch noted. Group invitations are also restricted, so only approved contacts can add someone to a new group.
WhatsApp also said it has rolled out Rust, a programming language, behind the scenes to ensure that your photos, videos, and messages are safe from spyware. This way, users can share and chat without worrying about getting hacked.
Part of a wider security push across big tech
WhatsApp’s rollout places Meta among a growing group of major technology firms offering advanced protection modes for users.
According to Reuters, Apple introduced its “Lockdown Mode” in 2022, describing it as an “optional, extreme protection” for individuals who might be targeted by advanced digital threats. Alphabet then followed up with Android’s “Advanced Protection Mode,” which restricts risky app downloads outside the Google Play Store.
As TechCrunch emphasized, WhatsApp’s stricter security rollout comes just days after Meta was sued over alleged false privacy claims. WhatsApp head Will Cathcart rejected these allegations, calling it a “no-merit, headline-seeking lawsuit.”
Security researchers welcomed WhatsApp’s addition of safeguards. John Scott-Railton of The Citizen Lab called the announcement “a very welcome development.” “My hope is that others follow suit,” Scott-Railton added.
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