WhatsApp has rolled out a powerful new security feature called “Strict Account Settings”, designed to protect users from rare but highly sophisticated cyberattacks. The one-tap feature activates multiple advanced security defences at once, positioning WhatsApp alongside Apple and Google in offering enhanced digital protection for high-risk users.
WhatsApp has introduced a new security layer for its billions of users with the rollout of “Strict Account Settings”. The feature enables a bundle of advanced safety protections through a single tap, significantly reducing exposure to potential cyber threats.
With this update, WhatsApp joins other major technology companies like Apple and Google, which have previously launched similar high-security modes to safeguard users against targeted digital attacks.
According to WhatsApp, “Strict Account Settings” are primarily intended to protect users from rare and highly sophisticated cyberattacks.
The company stated that the feature is especially useful for:
Journalists
Activists
Public-facing individuals
These groups are often at a higher risk of targeted surveillance, hacking attempts, or cyber exploitation, making advanced protection essential.
Once enabled, “Strict Account Settings” automatically turn on several protective features that WhatsApp has identified as potential attack vectors.
The feature:
Blocks media files and attachments from unknown senders
Disables link previews, including thumbnails that appear when URLs are shared
Silences calls from unknown contacts
WhatsApp said these elements have previously been used in advanced surveillance and cyberattack methods, and disabling them significantly improves account security.
While these security controls were already available individually on WhatsApp, users previously had to enable each one manually.
The new “Strict Account Settings” feature combines them into a single option, allowing users to activate stronger protection instantly with one tap, without navigating through multiple menus.
Users can enable the feature by following these steps:
Open WhatsApp
Go to Settings
Tap on Privacy
Select Advanced
Enable “Strict Account Settings”
If the option is not visible:
Ensure the app is updated to the latest version
The feature may not have reached your account yet
WhatsApp confirmed that “Strict Account Settings” are being rolled out gradually and will be available to all users in the coming weeks.
In 2022, Apple introduced Lockdown Mode, described as an optional extreme protection feature for a very small group of users facing advanced digital threats. It:
Disables most message attachments
Blocks link previews
Restricts FaceTime calls and web browsing
Last year, Alphabet’s Android platform launched Advanced Protection Mode, which prioritises security over convenience by:
Restricting certain app functionalities
Limiting downloads of potentially risky apps from outside the Google Play Store
WhatsApp’s “Strict Account Settings” follow the same philosophy of maximum security with reduced exposure to attack surfaces.