What Does Messenger’s “Secret Conversations” Feature Do?

When you enable the “Secret Conversations” feature with a user, Messenger encrypts your messages and calls as soon as you send them. Then, these contents are only decrypted on the receiver’s phone. This ensures no one can access your chat contents, not even Meta—at least not without physical access to you or your recipient’s phone.

That encryption is the difference between a regular chat and a secret one. If any bad actors gain access to Meta’s servers, they can’t see your encrypted messages. Any of your regular chats might be visible, as they remain unencrypted on Meta’s servers.

However, Meta restricts who you can have secret chats with. At the time of writing in August 2022, you can’t start such a chat with businesses, professional accounts, Instagram accounts from Messenger, and people you haven’t messaged before. Also, both you and your chatting partner need to be using the latest version of the app, so make sure you both update Messenger on your respective devices.

Additionally, certain features you might be used to won’t work while in one of these chats. Meta states that group messages and money payments are not supported in secret conversations. If those limitations create problems for you, look into alternative secure communication methods that might offer the features you need.

Start a Secret Chat in Messenger for iPhone, iPad, and Android

• To begin a new secret chat with someone, first, launch the Messenger app on your phone.
• In the Messenger app’s top-right corner, tap the pencil icon.

You’ll see a “New Message” screen. Here, in the top-right corner, turn on the “Secret Conversations” option.

• On the same page, in the “To” field, enter the name of the person you want to have a secret chat with.
• Then, select that person on the list.

• A new chat will start with your chosen person. Any messages or calls you make in this conversation will be end-to-end encrypted. You can start sending messages as usual.

To make a voice or video call, then at the top of the chat screen, tap the appropriate icon.

• To delete your secret chat with someone, then in the chat screen’s top-right corner, tap the “i” icon.
• Then, scroll down the page and choose “Delete Chat.”

And that’s how you hold secret conversations with your chosen people on Facebook’s Messenger platform.