Hide and Unhide Chats in GB WhatsApp, and Find Hidden Chats

GB WhatsApp Gives You 3 Ways to Hide Chats

Not all hiding methods are equal. Before you pick one, it helps to understand what each method actually does and when to use it. Here is a plain-language overview of all three options available in GB WhatsApp.

Always run the latest version of GB WhatsApp to get access to all three methods and their most stable implementations. Download the current verified GB WhatsApp APK from EasyGB before following any steps in this guide if you are on an older build.

Method 1: Archive a Chat (Quick and Simple)

Archiving moves a chat out of your main chat list and into a separate Archived folder. It is the fastest way to tidy up your screen without deleting anything. The key thing to understand is that Archive is an organization tool, not a privacy tool. No password protects the archived folder. Anyone who swipes to the bottom of your chat list can open it.

Use Archive when you want to reduce inbox clutter. Use Method 2 or Method 3 when you need actual privacy.

How to Archive a Chat in GB WhatsApp

1. Open GB WhatsApp on your Android device.
2. Go to the Chats tab on the main screen.
3. Long press the chat you want to archive until it is selected.
4. Tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner.
5. Select Archive from the dropdown options.
6. The chat disappears from your main list and moves to the Archived folder.

How to Archive a Group Chat

The process is identical for group chats. Long press the group name in your chat list, tap the three-dot menu, and select Archive. The group moves to the Archived folder the same way an individual chat does.

Method 2: Pattern Hide (The GB WhatsApp Exclusive)

This is the feature that most people mean when they talk about hiding chats in GB WhatsApp. It is entirely unique to GB WhatsApp and similar mods. The official WhatsApp app has never offered this. When you use it, the chat disappears from your main screen and moves into a hidden folder protected by a pattern, PIN, or password of your choosing.

What makes this method especially discrete is how you access the hidden folder. There is no visible button labeled “Hidden Chats” on your main screen. Access requires tapping the GB WhatsApp logo or text in the top left corner of the chats screen and entering your pattern. To anyone who does not know this, the hidden chats simply do not exist on the visible interface.

How to Hide an Individual Chat

1. Open GB WhatsApp and go to the Chats screen.
2. Long press the chat you want to hide to select it.
3. Tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner of the screen.
4. Select Hide from the dropdown menu.
5. GB WhatsApp prompts you to set a pattern lock (if this is your first time hiding a chat). Draw your chosen pattern and confirm it by drawing it again.
6. GB WhatsApp also asks you to set two security questions for password recovery. Fill these in carefully and remember your answers.
7. Your chat immediately disappears from the main chat list.

How to Hide a Group Chat

The steps are the same as hiding an individual chat, with one visual difference on some builds. After long pressing the group:

1. Long press the group chat in your chat list.
2. Look for the eye icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen (it appears next to the three-dot menu on some versions) and tap it.
3. Alternatively, tap the three-dot menu and select Hide.
4. Enter your existing pattern to confirm, or set one up if this is your first hidden chat.
5. The group disappears from your main screen.

Method 3: Chat Lock with Fingerprint, PIN or Secret Code

Chat Lock is the more modern approach to hiding chats. It uses your device’s existing security setup, meaning your fingerprint, face recognition, or device PIN, to protect specific conversations. When you lock a chat, it moves into a “Locked Chats” folder that sits at the top of your chat list but requires authentication to open.

The additional layer that makes Chat Lock especially private is the Secret Code feature. You can set a custom code that completely hides the Locked Chats folder from your main screen. The folder only reappears when you type that specific code into GB WhatsApp’s search bar. To anyone looking at your phone, the locked chats simply do not appear anywhere.

How to Lock a Chat Using Chat Lock

1. Open GB WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab.
2. Long press the chat you want to lock until it is selected.
3. Tap Lock Chat from the options that appear in the toolbar or three-dot menu.
4. Authenticate using your fingerprint, PIN, or face recognition when prompted. This confirms the lock.
5. The chat moves to the Locked Chats folder and disappears from your main chat list.

How to Set a Secret Code to Hide the Locked Chats Folder

1. Open the Locked Chats folder by swiping down on the main chat list and tapping it.
2. Tap the three-dot menu inside the Locked Chats folder.
3. Select Locked Chats Settings or Chat Lock Settings.
4. Tap Secret Code and enter a custom code of your choice. You can use letters, numbers, or a combination.
5. Toggle on Hide Locked Chats. The folder disappears from your main screen entirely.
6. To access your locked chats in the future, type your secret code into the WhatsApp search bar. The Locked Chats folder will appear in the search results.

Archive vs Pattern Hide vs Chat Lock: Full Comparison

Choosing the right method depends entirely on what you are trying to protect and from whom. Here is a side-by-side breakdown of all three options so you can pick the right one for your situation.

Use Archive when your goal is organization. Use Pattern Hide when you want a GB-native solution that keeps things discreet. Use Chat Lock when you need the strongest protection and want to combine it with a Secret Code that hides the locked folder completely.

How to Find Hidden Chats in GB WhatsApp

This is the most important section for most readers. People hide a chat, then forget exactly how to get back in. The correct method depends on how you hid the chat in the first place. Here are all four scenarios.

Finding Archived Chats

Archived chats live in the Archived folder at the bottom of your chat list. You will see a small “Archived” label beneath your regular conversations.

1. Open GB WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab.
2. Scroll down to the very bottom of your chat list.
3. Tap Archived. All your archived chats appear immediately with no password needed.

Finding Pattern-Hidden Chats (The GB-Exclusive Method)

This is where most people get confused. The hidden chats folder is not labeled anywhere obvious on the main screen. The entry point is the GB WhatsApp logo or text in the top left corner of your chat list.

1. Open GB WhatsApp and go to your main Chats screen.
2. Look at the top left corner of the screen. You will see the “GB WhatsApp” or “WhatsApp” text, or the app logo.
3. Tap that text or logo. A pattern lock screen appears.
4. Draw your saved pattern. The hidden chats folder opens and shows all your hidden conversations.

Finding Chat Lock Chats (Swipe Down Method)

Chats locked with Chat Lock sit inside the Locked Chats folder, which is hidden above the top of your regular chat list.

1. Open GB WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab.
2. Swipe down on the chat list. A “Locked Chats” row appears at the very top.
3. Tap Locked Chats.
4. Authenticate with your fingerprint, face recognition, or PIN.
5. All your locked conversations appear inside the folder.

Finding Chat Lock Chats Hidden with a Secret Code

If you set a Secret Code and enabled “Hide Locked Chats”, the Locked Chats folder no longer appears anywhere on the screen. The only way to surface it is through the search bar.

1. Open GB WhatsApp and tap the search bar at the top of the Chats screen.
2. Type your Secret Code exactly as you set it, including any numbers, letters, or characters.
3. The Locked Chats folder appears in the search results.
4. Tap it and authenticate. Your locked chats are now accessible.

How to Unhide and Unlock Chats in GB WhatsApp

Unhiding a chat moves it back to your main chat list permanently. Here is how to do it for each method.

How to Unarchive a Chat

1. Open the Archived folder at the bottom of your chat list.
2. Long press the chat you want to unarchive.
3. Tap the three-dot menu and select Unarchive.
4. The chat moves back to your main chat list immediately.

How to Unhide a Pattern-Hidden Chat

1. Access the hidden chats folder by tapping the GB WhatsApp text or logo in the top left of your chat screen.
2. Enter your pattern to open the hidden folder.
3. Long press the chat you want to unhide.
4. Tap the three-dot menu and select Unhide or Mark as Visible.
5. The chat returns to your main chat list and is no longer in the hidden folder.

How to Unlock a Chat Lock Chat

1. Open the Locked Chats folder by swiping down on the chat list (or via your Secret Code in the search bar).
2. Authenticate and open the conversation you want to unlock.
3. Tap the contact’s name or group name at the top of the chat to open the chat info screen.
4. Toggle Chat Lock off.
5. Confirm with your fingerprint, face recognition, or PIN.
6. The chat moves back to your main chat list immediately.

None of these steps delete any messages. Everything that was in the conversation before you hid it stays intact after you unhide it. If you are concerned about your message history, our guide on restoring GB WhatsApp chats explains how the backup system works in full.

What Happens to Notifications from Hidden Chats

This is one of the most important things to understand before you hide a chat, and most guides skip it entirely. When a contact sends you a message on a hidden or locked chat, you still receive a notification on your phone. The app does not block incoming messages. What changes is what the notification reveals.

Instead of showing the sender’s name and a preview of the message content, the notification displays only a generic alert. It typically says something like “New message” or “1 message” with no identifying details. The contact name and the message text are not visible on your lock screen, in your notification shade, or anywhere else outside the app.

This protects you in a common scenario: someone is nearby when a message arrives from a contact you have hidden. They see the notification appear, but they cannot read who it is from or what it says. The content stays behind the authentication layer where you put it.

For users who want complete control over how GB WhatsApp notifications behave, including customizing what appears on the lock screen and in the notification shade, our complete guide on GB WhatsApp notification settings covers every option in detail.

Forgot Your Pattern or PIN for Hidden Chats? Here Is What to Do

Forgetting the pattern for your hidden chats is one of the most common problems users face. The good news is that GB WhatsApp gives you a recovery option when you set up the pattern for the first time. The less good news is that if you skipped the security questions during setup, your options become very limited.

Recovery via Security Questions

When you first set up the pattern lock for hidden chats, GB WhatsApp asks you to create two security questions and answers. If you answered those questions, follow these steps:

1. Tap the GB WhatsApp text or logo in the top left of your chat screen to open the pattern entry screen.
2. Look for a Forgot Password or Forgot Pattern link on that screen and tap it.
3. Answer your two security questions exactly as you entered them during setup.
4. GB WhatsApp lets you set a new pattern and regain access to your hidden chats.

Recovery via Reset (Last Resort)

If you do not remember your security questions or did not set them up, the only remaining option is to reset Hidden Mode:

1. Open GB WhatsApp and tap the three-dot menu.
2. Go to GB Settings and select Privacy.
3. Find Hidden Mode or Hidden Chats in the list.
4. Select Reset Hidden Mode and confirm the action.
5. All hidden chats are erased and the pattern is cleared. You can set up a new pattern from scratch.

For Chat Lock (Method 3), forgetting a Secret Code is handled differently. Go to WhatsApp Settings then Privacy then Chat Lock and choose “Unlock and clear locked chats”. This removes the secret code and returns all locked chats to your main list. The messages themselves are not deleted by this action, only the lock is removed.

Troubleshooting Common Problems with Hidden Chats

Chat Lock Option Not Showing Up

The most common reason Chat Lock is missing from your options is that your Android device does not have a screen lock enabled. GB WhatsApp and official WhatsApp both require your device to have a PIN, pattern, fingerprint, or face recognition set up before they will activate Chat Lock. Go to your Android Settings then Security and configure a device screen lock. Then reopen GB WhatsApp and try again.

If your device already has a screen lock and Chat Lock still does not appear, update GB WhatsApp to the latest version. Older builds did not include the full Chat Lock implementation. The latest GB WhatsApp version is available at EasyGB, where the APK is kept current.

Swipe Down Does Not Show the Locked Chats Folder

If swiping down on the chat list does not reveal the Locked Chats folder, one of these things is happening. You may have enabled “Hide Locked Chats” with a Secret Code, which removes the folder from the visible interface entirely. In that case, type your secret code into the search bar. Alternatively, you may not have locked any chats yet, so the folder does not exist. Try locking a chat first, then swipe down again.

Hidden Chat Count Showing on Main Screen

Some older GB WhatsApp builds display a count on the main screen showing how many chats are hidden. This is a known bug in certain versions. Updating to a newer build resolves it. If you must stay on the current version temporarily, the count does not expose the contents of the chats, only the number of hidden conversations.

Hidden Chats Reappearing After an Update

Major version updates to GB WhatsApp occasionally reset privacy settings, including the hidden chat configuration. If your previously hidden chats have reappeared after an update, re-hide them using your preferred method. It is also worth checking your hidden folder first to confirm the chats are not simply visible there again rather than actually moved to the main list.

Cannot Find the GB WhatsApp Logo or Text to Access Hidden Chats

Some custom header configurations in GB WhatsApp settings hide or replace the default logo in the top left corner. Go to GB Settings then Home Screen then Header and check that the WhatsApp label or logo is visible. Enable it if it has been turned off, and the tap-to-access-hidden-chats gesture will work again.

Can Someone Else See Your Hidden Chats in GB WhatsApp?

This question comes up often, and the answer depends on which method you used and what credentials that other person has access to.

If you used Pattern Hide (Method 2), someone else cannot access your hidden chats without knowing your specific pattern. The entry point itself, the top-left logo tap, is not obvious to a casual user. Someone who does not know the gesture exists will not find the hidden folder at all.

If you used Chat Lock (Method 3) without a Secret Code, someone who swipes down on your chat list will see that a Locked Chats folder exists. They cannot open it without your fingerprint, face, or PIN. With a Secret Code and Hide Locked Chats enabled, the folder does not appear even when they swipe down.

If you used Archive, there is minimal privacy. Anyone who scrolls to the bottom of your chat list and taps the Archived label can see those conversations with no authentication at all.

One more important boundary to understand: you can only see your own hidden chats. You cannot access another person’s hidden or locked chats on their device, even if you use GB WhatsApp yourself. The hidden chat system is entirely local to each individual’s device.

For a broader look at how GB WhatsApp handles security and what risks to be aware of, our detailed guide on GB WhatsApp safety covers the full picture.

If you are deciding between GB WhatsApp’s hiding features and what the official WhatsApp now offers natively, the full feature comparison between GB WhatsApp and official WhatsApp breaks down exactly what each app offers and where the differences matter.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiding Chats in GB WhatsApp