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WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryptions for your messages. But if you back up these messages on the cloud, authorities can use a search warrant to have Google Drive or iCloud hand over access to your data. Now, the Facebook-owned messaging service has enabled tech that allows it to independently encrypt your backups in the cloud in the recent beta update on Android (2.21.15.5).
The caveat is you shouldn't forget your passcode or lose your 64-digit recovery key because you'll be locked away permanently. WhatsApp can't help you get in. If you're willing to make that tradeoff, you can try to get in the beta test group or wait for the feature to roll out to everyone. WhatsApp is also testing a version of its software that works across different devices, so you get end-to-end encryption whether you use the app on the phone or not.
Source: The Verge