On your phone, hide WhatsApp messages with Chat Lock, which moves chats into a locked folder that opens with Face ID, your fingerprint or a passcode, and turn off notification previews. On a computer, WhatsApp has no built-in way to hide messages on screen, so use a blur tool like WBlur, which keeps messages blurred until you point at them.
Here's what each option hides, and which one fits your situation.
On iPhone and Android
Chat Lock: open a chat, tap its name and turn on Chat Lock. The chat moves to a Locked chats folder, opens only with your face, fingerprint or passcode, and its notifications no longer show the sender or the message.
Notification previews: turn off message previews in WhatsApp's notification settings, or in your phone's settings for WhatsApp, so new messages don't appear on your lock screen.
Archive: archiving a chat moves it out of your main chat list. It hides the chat from a quick scroll, but anyone who opens the Archived folder can read it.
On a computer
WhatsApp on Mac and WhatsApp Web show every chat in plain view once they're open, and Chat Lock doesn't hide what's already on your screen. Closing WhatsApp works, but means missing messages.
WBlur fills that gap. On Mac it's a menu bar app for the WhatsApp desktop app; in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera and Arc it's a free extension for WhatsApp Web. Messages, previews, photos, names and what you type stay blurred, and you read one message at a time by pointing at it.
Ways to hide WhatsApp messages, compared
| Where | What it hides | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chat Lock | Phone | Chosen chats, behind biometrics | Chats you rarely open |
| Hidden previews | Phone and computer | New messages in notifications | Lock screen privacy |
| Archive | Phone and computer | Chats from the main list | Tidying, light privacy |
| WBlur | Mac and WhatsApp Web | Everything on screen until you point at it | Using WhatsApp around other people |
Guide
Which option to pick
- 01Someone might pick up your phone: use Chat Lock
- 02Messages appear on your lock screen: turn off previews
- 03People can see your computer screen: use WBlur
- 04You share your screen on calls: use WBlur
How to set it up
- 1On your phone, turn on Chat Lock for your most private chats.
- 2Turn off notification previews for WhatsApp.
- 3On your computer, install WBlur for Mac or the extension for your browser.
- 4Open WhatsApp: your messages are blurred until you hover over them.
Get WBlur
Mac
Free for 7 daysBlurs the WhatsApp app on your Mac, and locks it with Touch ID. Lives in your menu bar.
Download free trialThen $9 once: buy a license keyChrome
FreeBlurs WhatsApp Web in Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera and Arc.
Add to ChromeNo account neededFAQ
Questions, answered.
Can I hide WhatsApp messages without deleting them?
Yes. Chat Lock, archiving and WBlur all hide messages without deleting anything. WBlur doesn't touch your chats at all; it only blurs them on screen.
Doesn't Chat Lock already hide my chats?
It hides the chats you lock until you unlock them. Once you open a chat, or use any chat you haven't locked, it's fully readable on screen. To keep chats private on a computer screen while you use them, use a blur like WBlur.
Is WBlur free?
The browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera and Arc is free. The Mac app is free for 7 days, then a one-time $9 license key for up to 3 Macs, with a 30-day refund if it's not for you.
Does WBlur read or collect my messages?
No. WBlur only changes how WhatsApp looks on your screen. It does not read, store or send your messages, contacts or any information about you.
Can the other person tell that I use WBlur?
No. WBlur only blurs what is shown on your own screen. Nothing changes in WhatsApp itself, and read receipts work exactly as before.