WhatsApp is currently rolling out a new privacy feature to its beta users on Android, designed to protect people from unsolicited messages sent by unknown contacts. A feature tracker recently discovered this tool, which automatically filters messages under certain conditions to shield users from unidentified senders.
The feature, now available to some beta testers, needs to be manually activated and will eventually complement two other advanced security features focused on user privacy.
To access this feature, users need to update to WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.24.20.16. After the update, they can navigate through Settings > Privacy > Advanced > Block unknown account messages to activate it. According to WABetaInfo, beta users who have installed the latest version on Android can confirm its availability. Gadgets 360 also verified that the toggle is available in the current beta version.
Currently, this feature is exclusive to beta testers, so regular users will need to wait for its broader release. Although users can still receive messages from unknown accounts up to a certain limit, WhatsApp has not disclosed specific details to avoid giving spammers information that could help them bypass the feature.
This new function joins two existing advanced privacy settings on WhatsApp: the option to safeguard a user’s IP address during calls and the ability to disable link previews, which also helps protect against third-party access to the IP address. All three privacy features are optional and require manual activation.
