The WhatsApp demo for Android adds support for unlocking an application with a fingerprint sensor

Last February, WhatsApp for iOS got Screen Lock, a feature that activates the app to prompt you to authenticate using the Touch ID fingerprint sensor whenever you want to access it. Several months later, the same feature has finally arrived for WhatsApp on the Android platform, although it is still being tested.

The WhatsApp demo has a new update with version 2.19.221. If you get it, you can go to Settings, then to Account, then to Privacy and then Fingerprint Lock to activate the new feature. After you have activated it, you will need to use your fingerprint to authenticate yourself each time you want to open the application. You can still answer calls if WhatsApp is closed. It remains to be seen if the new feature requires a new version of the application or if it will be provided remotely via an external server.

You can set the automatic lock timer so that the automatic lock can take place immediately after one minute or after 30 minutes. Thus, if you choose anything other than "on the spot", your last use of WhatsApp will give you a limited time, where the app will remain "open" and will no longer require any other fingerprint. Finally, in the same section of "Settings", you can also enable the option Display the contents of the message and the sender in the notifications. If you use the WhatsApp Widget plugin and the fingerprint lock is enabled, nothing will show because the content is hidden by default.

Generally, if the tests are done correctly, expect this feature to reach the official and stable WhatsApp for Android platform for the foreseeable future.