Messenger’s new App Lock adds another layer of security to your messages

Messenger has introduced a new layer of security to the app that will prevent anyone from looking at your messages on your phone even if the device is in their hand and unlocked.

App Lock – as its name describes – can lock down the Messenger app with a second level of security on top of your smartphone’s device security.

When App Lock is activated, users can choose from the device’s security settings to use your phone’s registered Face ID or fingerprint to authorise access to the Messenger app.

The app will also ask when you want App Lock to take effect – right after closing Messenger, one minute, 15 minutes or an hour after leaving.

This means that if you hand off your phone to another person or someone needs to borrow it, they will not be able to open the Messenger app and see your messages and chats.

There is a new privacy settings section within the app that now offers features like the audience for your stories, muted stories and blocked people.

Users can still reply to messages from notifications and to answer calls even while Messenger is locked,

Your Face ID and fingerprint is not transmitted to Facebook – it remains secure and encrypted on your device.

Messenger will also soon offer even more controls including who can message you directly, who gets to your requests folder and who you don’t want to hear from.

This draws similarities to the messaging with Instagram which, like Messenger, is also owned by Facebook.

The Messenger App Lock is available now for iOS users and coming soon to Android.