Is WhatsApp encrypted?
Yes. Only you and the people you message can read your WhatsApp chats and calls. Backups are the exception: they're only sealed if you turn that on.
Checked on 25 October 2026 against 5 sources.
Made by Secria. We grade every app by the same rules. How we check
- MessagesOnly you and the people you messageOn by default for every personal chat, and WhatsApp says it has no off switch.1
- Group chatsOnly you and the groupGroup chats are sealed by default too, with the same Signal protocol as one-to-one chats.1
- CallsOnly you and the people you callVoice and video calls are sealed by default, group calls included.1
- BackupsOnly you, once you turn it onBackups to Google or iCloud are only sealed if you turn on end-to-end encrypted backup, while WhatsApp's own cloud storage, still being tested, is always sealed.2, 3Turn it on
- Post-quantumNot yetNo post-quantum protection for chats announced as of 25 October 2026, and WhatsApp's February 2026 white paper describes no post-quantum step.1, 5
- Status updatesOnly the people you share withStatuses are sealed the same way as group messages.1
- Chats with businesses and Meta AIPartlyChats with businesses that run their own WhatsApp account are sealed, but WhatsApp doesn't count chats with Meta AI, or with businesses that have Meta or another company handle their chats, as end-to-end encrypted.1
- Who holds the keys
- Your phone and linked devices. WhatsApp's servers never have them.
- What Meta can still see
- Your phone number, profile name and photo, who you talk to and when, your group names and pictures, your IP address, and when you were last online.
On business plans, a business that links Meta's Cloud API lets Meta handle its one-to-one chats, and WhatsApp then no longer counts those chats as end-to-end encrypted.
Seal your backups, once
- Open Settings › Chats › Chat Backup.
- Tap End-to-end encrypted backup (on iPhone it's called End-to-end encryption) and follow the prompts.
- Tap Use passkey, or tap More options to use a password or a 64-digit key instead.
Keep the password or key somewhere safe: if you lose it, WhatsApp can't reset it or restore the backup for you.
Email is worth checking next: Gmail, Outlook and iCloud Mail can all read your mailbox. See which email services can.
Can Meta read my WhatsApp messages?
No. Messages are sealed on your phone and only unlocked on the phones you send them to, and WhatsApp's servers never have the keys1. WhatsApp says this applies to every personal chat and call, and can't be switched off1.
There are two exceptions. WhatsApp doesn't count chats with Meta AI, or with businesses that have Meta or another company handle their chats, as end-to-end encrypted1. And a backup to your Google Account or iCloud isn't sealed by WhatsApp unless you turn that on2, 4.
Are WhatsApp backups end-to-end encrypted?
Only if you turn it on. When you back up to your Google Account or iCloud, sealing is an option, and WhatsApp's privacy policy says those services receive what you back up, such as your messages2, 4.
Once you turn it on, the backup is locked with a passkey, a password or a 64-digit key that only you have. WhatsApp can't reset it or restore the backup for you2.
WhatsApp is also testing its own cloud storage for backups, with 2 GB free. Backups kept there are always sealed3.
Is WhatsApp quantum safe?
Not yet. WhatsApp's encryption white paper, updated on 25 February 2026, describes how chats are set up and has no post-quantum step1.
Meta's April 2026 post on its post-quantum work talks about its internal traffic, not WhatsApp chats5. No post-quantum protection for WhatsApp chats was announced as of 25 October 2026.
What can WhatsApp see about me?
WhatsApp can't see what you write, but it does collect data about how you use it. Its privacy policy lists your phone number, profile name and photo, when and how often you use the app and who with, your group names and pictures, your IP address, and when you were last online4.
If you let it upload your contacts, WhatsApp also gets the phone numbers in your address book4.
How WhatsApp compares
Sorted by how many parts are sealed by default, then by how many can be. Ties go A to Z.
Sources
- WhatsApp Encryption Overview, technical white paper, version 9 (25 February 2026), Meta. Read on 25 Oct 2026.
- About end-to-end encrypted backup, Meta. Read on 25 Oct 2026.
- How to use WhatsApp cloud storage, Meta. Read on 25 Oct 2026.
- WhatsApp Privacy Policy, Meta. Read on 25 Oct 2026.
- Post-Quantum Cryptography Migration at Meta: Framework, Lessons, and Takeaways (16 April 2026), Meta. Read on 25 Oct 2026.
Changes to this answer
- First published.