Fingerprint only access to partner's WhatsApp - would it give you a bad feeling?

[ruthsdress]

I know my partner's phone passcode and he knows mine. I noticed the other day that when he opened a WhatsApp, he had to use his fingerprint to enter the app. It can't be opened by passcode. I asked him about it and he just said there was the option to add a fingerprint lock to WhatsApp so he enabled it. He said I could check his messages but I declined.

I can't help but now find myself worrying about this! I've been cheated on before in a previous relationship so that probably isn't helping.

Would this bother/worry you or do I need to let it go? I just can't see why that extra layer of security is needed other than to potentially stop me reading his messages.

I've got fingerprint access on mine, just because it's quicker. I have nothing to hide from anyone, but I wouldn't expect anyone to look at what's on my phone. Likewise it wouldn't occur to me to look at someone else's.
To me it's like rummaging through a handbag that's not your own.
I have to use mine quite a lot for work, so speed is important, and I wouldn't leave pages open at work so the screen goes black after 30 seconds.
I tend to think you either trust someone or you don't

Just to be clear, this is an additional fingerprint just for WhatsApp. So you can open the main phone with either passcode or fingerprint. Then, once you're in the phone, you can only open the WhatsApp app with an additional fingerprint entry, not with a passcode.

I don't even know if my dh has WhatsApp never mind how is apps are opened.

I agree with Solo that he's probably done it because it's quicker. But the fact you are thinking about this means that you don't feel secure or happy in this relationship.

I have it on mine, just so my DS doesn't send my boss texts of gobbildy gook while watching you tube on my phone ! (It has happened!)
I don't see why if he's said you can look at the messages you have an issue, it's a feature on a phone that he wants on?

I think people are not understanding that the phone is already open, by fingerprint or passcode and then fingerprint only is required to open WhatsApp, making it take longer, not faster.

And yes, I think that’s weird.

I have this, it's because the DC mess about on my phone. I'm a person who doesn't delete on WhatsApp so have about 500 messages in there that I don't particularly want the DC to read!

Yip I find this a bit suspicious, why would he need to lock WhatsApp specifically if he's already got his phone passcode/finger print protected.

Offering to let you look at his messages is meaningless - at that point in time he knew there was nothing incriminating. He's got the fingerprint activated incase you look at another time would be my feeling.

Nope, not a red flag. I’d just think my DH liked the function, he enjoys having the latest tech or just found it easier. Added to that he’s tried to reassure you by offering to show you the messages.

if you’ve had cheating issues in previous relationships it’s understandable that you may feel worried about this sort of thing, but he’s not done anything wrong. Try hard to push away the idea that he has or it’ll just ruin what sounds like a good relationship.

If you have no other concerns I’d let it go. You will tie yourself up in knots about it.
Next time he offers to look at his messages, take it.

Bollocks, it means that once you’ve been burnt once, you are aware of the ways in which people hide their tracks

honestly the arm chair psychologists on MN are embarrassing sometimes

You can open whatsapp by the code. Once you put the wrong fingerprint in twice it offers an option to open by putting in the phone code.

Do you have other concerns? If not, I wouldn't give this headspace.

The issue isn’t WhatsApp or how he accesses it. It’s whether you trust him or not. That’s what you need to discuss with him.
personally, I have nothing to hide but I also want privacy. If I want to discuss something with a best mate , I don’t necessarily want my wife to know about that discussion. That’s not wrong. My best mate would expect me to hold the things they said to me in privacy and not discuss them with my wife. So I don’t expect my wife to look at my messages. Nor would she.

I agree with @SW1amp, don't listen to the armchair psychiatrists.

Bloody hell I've been with my other half almost 10 years, he's never done anything to cause me suspicion.. but it's still there very infrequently though. I'll have a fleeting moment and it will pass but previously (especially when I'd had my first child) I was really insecure.
In the past I'd been cheated on and let down by men my entire life (my dad the main culprit)
It doesn't mean you're unhappy in the relationship at all to question this.

I don't think he is doing anything untoward though. I do agree with other PP that he's probably just added it as an extra feature rather than to keep you out.

I have the same and I have absolutely nothing to hide from anyone. It just seems sensible as an added level of security.

No, I would not find it suspicious. But then I’ve never snooped through my DH phone. Nor he mine. If you dont have trust you have nothing in a relationship. And if you have trust issues because of being burnt in the past, that is a you issue that you need to work through.

Thank you all, you've given me a bit of reassurance I think I needed from an outside perspective. I love the bones of the man and on rare occasions I have those fleeting moments of "what if", no matter how hard I try not to. I think seeing him enter the additional check just triggered something in me from my days with cheating ex.

Lots of apps have additional app specific security. I have faceID to unlock my phone and then faceID again for WhatsApp, Banking, work apps (outlook, teams etc.) Really nothing to worry about

Weird. Without children playing on your phone I see no reason to lock anything other than your phone.

I didn't know you could do this. But I'm going to add it on my phone. There's an extra layer of fingerprint ID for several of my apps, and now that passing phones around to share photos or maps, or to entertain the DGD happens all the time, an extra stage to log on to stuff is always good.

Hmm it is a bit strange to have additional security for WhatsApp only.

It might be pointless checking messages because they’re easily deleted, but when I go to start a new chat on WhatsApp it brings up my frequently contacted list, so you could always ask to see that?

I don’t believe in snooping but I do think you need to trust your gut feeling.

I don't think you'd be posting this if you trusted him, so there's a bigger issue, here. It's not necessarily that he's hiding something, but even if you don't trust him because you've been betrayed before, that's still an issue. I'd keep talking to him until I felt better/clearer. If my partner was feeling what you're feeling, I wouldn't want her to hide it from me.

But to follow your example, if he has put a code on to protect his privacy and messages about his mates issues, that is a clear sign he doesn’t trust OP to not look if asked not to

So OP is either dealing with someone who is up to something, or dealing with someone who doesn’t trust her

Privacy. I don’t have one way conversations. I don’t expect people to share what I say to them and I don’t share what they say to me.