Gone were the times when people were oblivious about their online security and privacy. Now most of us take the security of our data seriously. And the good thing is most messaging apps today come with a set of security features including biometric lock to shield our personal information. In this quick guide, I’m going to show how you can lock WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal with Face ID on iPhone for an additional layer of safeguard.
Lock WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal with Face ID on iPhone
Introduced in 2017 with iPhone X, Face ID is widely considered to be the gold standard of facial unlock on any smartphone. What it loses on the speed front, it gains on the security aspect. Notably, Face ID also adapts to changes in your appearance so that unlocking the device or app should not be a hassle even when you have grown facial hair or put on a cosmetic makeup. However, bear in mind that if it notices significant change in your appearance, you will be forced to confirm your identity by using your passcode.
Even when you have locked WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal with Face ID, you can continue to answer calls and even reply to messages from notifications. It’s worth pointing out that if your device supports Touch ID, you will get the option to lock these messaging apps using Touch ID.
Lock/Unlock WhatsApp Using Face ID on iPhone
1. Launch WhatsApp on your iPhone.
2. Now, tap on the Settings icon at the bottom right corner of the screen.
3. Next, tap on Account.
4. Next up, tap on Privacy.
5. Up next, tap on Screen Lock.
6. Now, turn on the switch right next to Require Face ID. After that, you can choose to lock WhatsApp immediately after you close the app, after 1 minute or 15 minutes or 1 hour.
For better security, I would recommend you to go with the “Immediately” option. Going forward, you will be able to unlock the messaging app using Face ID. Do note that you will still be able to reply to messages from notifications and answer calls even if the app is locked.
Lock/Unlock Telegram with Face ID on iPhone
1. Launch Telegram app on your iPhone.
2. Now, tap on Settings icon located at the bottom right corner of the screen.
3. Next, tap on Privacy and Security.
4. Next up, tap on Passcode & Face ID.
5. Up next, turn on the toggle for Unlock with Face ID.
That’s it! From now onwards, you will be able to unlock Telegram using Face ID.
Enable Screen Lock in Signal on iPhone
1. Open Signal app on your iPhone.
2. Now, tap on your profile icon at the top left corner of the screen.
3. Next, tap on Privacy.
4. Next up, turn on the switch right next to Screen Lock.
That’s pretty much it! Now, you will be asked to authenticate using Face ID whenever you open Signal on your iPhone.
Set Up and Use Face ID with WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal
So, that’s how you can lock these popular messaging apps using Face ID on your iOS device. As it’s always better have an extra layer of safeguard to stop unauthorized access, get the most out of the facial unlock technology to secure your personal information.
That said, which one of these messaging apps is your favorite? WhatsApp may claim to be the most popular messaging app, it lags behind Signal and Telegram on the privacy front.
Moreover, the controversial privacy policy that was recently announced has put the Facebook-owned messaging app in a spot of huge bother. It would be great to have your feedback and the reasons that forced you to switch to Signal or move to Telegram from WhatsApp, if you did decide to take that step.
