Messenger secret conversations were the old opt-in way to send end-to-end encrypted messages. Meta is now making end-to-end encryption the default for personal chats, so you don't need a separate secret conversation any more. If you still have two chats with the same person, the encrypted one, which may carry a Secret conversation label, becomes the active chat.
For years, Messenger's privacy option was a separate 'secret conversation' you had to start on purpose. Many people never found it, and those who did ended up with two chats with the same person: a normal one and a secret one. Meta has been changing that by encrypting personal chats by default, which is why the option seems to have vanished from the app. Here's what that means for your existing chats, and the one setting you should sort out before you change phones.
What changed
| Old secret conversations | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| How you got encryption | Start a separate secret conversation | Personal chats are being encrypted by default |
| Number of chats with one person | Often two: normal and secret | One active, encrypted chat |
| How to check | The chat was marked as secret | Look for End-to-end encrypted in the chat settings |
How to check a chat is encrypted
- Open the chat in Messenger.
- Tap the person's name at the top to open the chat settings.
- Look for End-to-end encrypted.
End-to-end encryption means only you and the people you're talking to can see or hear what's sent. Not even Meta can read it.
Two chats with the same person? What happens
If you used secret conversations, you may have two one-to-one chats with someone. Messenger keeps the end-to-end encrypted one as your only active chat. The other is archived. You can still view it from your Archive folder or from the chat info screen, but you can't unarchive it or reply in it.
If you'd rather keep the older chat as your active one, Messenger's help explains the trade: delete the encrypted chat, which is the one showing a Secret conversation label when you search for the person, and the other chat will be secured with encryption and become your active chat. Be careful, because deleting a chat removes it permanently, and the change doesn't show straight away.
What isn't encrypted
- Chats with businesses, and with accounts using business messaging tools.
- Nicknames, chat themes and reactions in a chat.
- Older messages sent before the chat was upgraded, and reactions to them.
- Anything shared with Meta AI, which Meta can access under its privacy policy.
- Messages someone reports or chooses to share with someone else.
Some actions, such as pinning or replying, may also be unavailable for messages sent before the chat was upgraded. That's normal, not a fault, and it only affects those older messages.
Getting your encrypted chats on a new phone
This is the part that trips people up. When you log into Messenger on a new device, your encrypted chat history doesn't appear automatically. You need to restore it. Messenger offers several ways, depending on how you set it up:
- A PIN you chose.
- A one-time code.
- Your Google Account.
- iCloud Drive or iCloud Keychain.
- A 40-character recovery code.
If Messenger asks for a PIN and you've forgotten it, use one of the other methods. Set up your restore method now, while you still have access, so a lost or broken phone doesn't mean lost messages. My guide on exporting Messenger chat history covers keeping your own copy.
Calls and encryption
The protection covers calls as well as messages: only the people on the call can hear or see it. One side effect Messenger points out is that you can't report video or audio calls on Messenger or Facebook chat, even though the calls themselves are protected. If a call goes wrong, block the person or report their account instead. And if you're ever pressured on a call to share something private, end it: nobody on the other side needs your password, codes or PIN.
A quick privacy checklist for Messenger
- Open your most important chats and check for End-to-end encrypted in the settings.
- Set up a way to restore encrypted chats, such as a PIN or iCloud or Google, before you change phones.
- If you have duplicate chats, decide which one to keep, remembering deletion is permanent.
- Don't share private messages with Meta AI if you want them to stay encrypted.
- Remember that business chats aren't covered, so keep personal details out of them.
Ten minutes on this list now saves a lot of panic later, especially the restore step. People often only discover it when they log into a new phone and find their chats empty.
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Do you still need secret conversations?
For personal chats, no: encryption is becoming the default, so your normal chat gives you the protection secret conversations used to. You'll still see the Secret conversation label on old duplicate chats.
If a contact seems to have gone quiet after the upgrade, check you're looking at the active chat rather than an archived one. If Messenger says they're unavailable, see why Messenger says a user is unavailable.
My verdict
Secret conversations haven't been taken away so much as made the default. Check for End-to-end encrypted in your chat settings, let Messenger keep the encrypted chat when you have duplicates, and set up a restore method now so your history follows you to your next phone.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to secret conversations on Messenger?
Meta is making end-to-end encryption the default for personal chats, so a separate secret conversation is no longer needed.
How do I know if my Messenger chat is encrypted?
Open the chat settings and look for End-to-end encrypted.
Why are there two chats with the same person on Messenger?
One may be an old secret conversation. Messenger keeps the encrypted chat active and archives the other.
Why are my Messenger messages missing on a new phone?
Encrypted history doesn't appear automatically. Restore it with your PIN, a code, Google, iCloud or a 40-character code.
