WhatsApp's Restricted Chat Feature Rolls Out: What It Does and How to Use It

WhatsApp is rolling out Restricted Chat, a new privacy feature that limits a conversation to a user's primary phone, blocking access on linked devices, exports, and Meta AI. It is currently available to some beta users on Android and iPhone. Restricted Chat replaces the Advanced Chat Privacy setting and is optional, off by default. When enabled, it prevents media auto-saving, chat exports, and Meta AI use, and hides the chat from linked devices. These restrictions apply to both participants, with a notice shown in the chat. The feature currently works only in one-to-one chats, not groups. WhatsApp has not announced a full rollout date, and the feature may change. Users can check their Linked Devices settings to log out of unrecognized or unused devices.