Check the chat and the devices around it.
- 01
Chat notice
Check the encryption notice for the relevant chat.
What this tells youThe relevant conversation shows its own protection notice.
Read the notice in the current official app. A lock in an illustration or a claim made by another website does not verify your chat.
- 02
Your device
Protect your device and account login.
What this tells youYou have considered access to the endpoints where content is readable.
Lock your own device, review account sessions and inspect notification previews. A visible message on an unlocked screen is a separate exposure.
- 03
Recovery method
Keep a recovery method for your own encrypted history.
What this tells youYour configured recovery method is available when you need your history.
Review secure storage before replacing or erasing a device. Keep recovery secrets private and use them only in the official recovery flow.
Protection has several surfaces.
| Surface | What to understand | Your practical check |
|---|---|---|
| Between devices | Encryption protects content during delivery between participants. | Read the notice for this chat. |
| At the device | An unlocked screen can expose readable content. | Review the lock, previews and account sessions. |
| Saved copies | A screenshot or shared copy can exist outside the original chat. | Consider what participants can retain or disclose. |
| History recovery | Access to saved encrypted history has its own recovery method. | Keep the configured method and verify needed history before a device change. |
Encrypted delivery. A readable endpoint.
Encrypted transit and an unlocked phone are two different privacy surfaces.
In transit
The illustration shows protected delivery between two participant devices.
On an unlocked screen
A message can be readable at its destination. Encryption is not a substitute for controlling access to the device.
Choose the privacy surface you need to fix.
Message text is visible outside the app
Check your own phone and connected displays. Use a harmless test to inspect the result.
Review notification previews →A browser session is left open
Review access on shared hardware and confirm the intended session is signed out before handing it over.
Check shared-computer access →Earlier history is missing
Separate account sign-in from restoration of saved encrypted history. Check the method already configured.
Understand secure storage →A better question than “Is it private?”
Ask where the information is readable: in the chat, on a device preview, in a saved image, or through an active session. Each answer points to a different check.
Keep this boundary.
Reporting content or sharing screenshots creates additional context and copies.
A chat notice does not certify every device, preview, saved copy or future sharing decision. Review the surface that actually concerns you.
References and current instructions
Go to the source.
Labels, menu placement and feature availability can change. These are original interface illustrations; use the current official explanation before changing a setting.
Explains protection in transit and recovering personal encrypted history.