BatChat Preset Secret Messages Guide - Password Protect Your Chats | BatChatHub

TL;DR

Preset secret messages (预设密信) is a BatChat feature that lets you set a custom password on individual conversations. Once enabled, both you and the other person must enter the correct password phrase to open that chat. It’s an application-level access control — distinct from encryption (which protects data in transit) and from the unlock password (which protects the entire app). Think of it as a padlock on a specific conversation: even if someone bypasses your device lock and app lock, they still need the conversation password to read those messages. The feature supports custom phrases rather than simple numeric PINs, making the passwords harder to guess but also harder to share securely.

What Are BatChat Preset Secret Messages?

Preset secret messages (预设密信) is one of BatChat’s headline features, prominently displayed on the official website as a “NEW” feature alongside screenshot protection and the BatChat avatar system.

The official description from batchat.com: “好友间可自定义专属暗语，设置后对方需输入正确暗语才可进入聊天页面，为私密对话增设一道安全锁” (Friends can customize an exclusive secret phrase; after setting it, the other party must enter the correct phrase to enter the chat page, adding an extra security lock for private conversations).

Key concept: This is not encryption. BatChat already encrypts all messages by default. Preset secret messages is an access control feature — it controls who can open the chat on your device, not how the data is protected during transmission.

The “Security Lock” Metaphor

Think of BatChat’s security as a building with multiple doors:

1. Device lock (phone screen lock) — the front door
2. Unlock password (解锁密码) — the lobby door
3. Preset secret messages — individual locks on specific rooms

Even if someone gets past the first two doors, they still cannot enter the rooms that have their own locks. Each protected conversation requires its own key (password phrase).

How to Set Up Preset Secret Messages

Step 1: Open Conversation Settings

1. Open the BatChat conversation you want to protect
2. Tap the contact name or group name at the top of the screen
3. This opens the conversation settings/info panel

Step 2: Find the Preset Secret Messages Option

Scroll through the settings list until you find Preset Secret Messages (预设密信). It may be under a “Privacy” or “Security” subcategory depending on your app version.

Step 3: Enable and Set Your Password Phrase

1. Toggle the Preset Secret Messages switch to ON
2. The app prompts you to create a secret phrase (暗语)
3. Type your chosen phrase — this can be words, numbers, or a combination
4. Confirm the phrase by entering it again
5. The feature is now active for this conversation

Step 4: Inform the Other Person

This is the critical step that many users overlook. Both parties need to know the password phrase, because both must enter it to open the chat.

The challenge: how do you securely share the password phrase? If you share it via BatChat itself, the other person can’t open the chat to read it because the lock is already active. You need to share the phrase through a different channel:

• Tell them in person
• Send it via another messaging app (WeChat, SMS, etc.)
• Write it down and hand it to them physically
• Call them and tell them over the phone

Step 5: Using a Protected Chat

After setup, here’s what happens when you try to open the conversation:

1. Tap the conversation in your chat list
2. Instead of showing the messages, a password entry screen appears
3. Type the preset secret phrase
4. If correct, the chat opens normally
5. If incorrect, access is denied

The password entry happens every time you open the chat. After you close or switch away from the conversation, the lock re-engages.

Password Best Practices

What Makes a Good Secret Phrase

Since the password is a custom phrase (not limited to numbers), you have flexibility in choosing something memorable yet hard to guess:

Approach	Example	Security Level
Meaningful phrase	”The coffee shop on 5th street”	Medium — personal, hard to guess for strangers
Code word	”Project Aurora 2026”	Medium-High — sounds random but is memorable to both parties
Mixed alphanumeric	”b7c9!sunset”	High — harder to brute force, but harder to communicate verbally
Shared reference	”That restaurant last Tuesday”	Low-Medium — anyone who knows your routine might guess it

Avoid:

• Common phrases (“password”, “123456”, “hello”)
• Information easily found on your social media (pet names, birthdays)
• Single common words

Sharing the Phrase Securely

The weakest link in preset secret messages is the initial password exchange. Consider:

• In-person communication — the most secure method. Tell the person face to face
• Voice call — better than text because there’s no written record
• Different messaging app — acceptable for moderate sensitivity. WeChat, SMS, or email
• Written note — secure during delivery but creates a physical record that must be destroyed

Do NOT share the preset phrase in the BatChat conversation you’re about to protect — you’ll create a catch-22 where the other person needs the password to read the message containing the password.

Changing or Removing the Password

To change or disable the preset secret message:

1. Open the conversation (you’ll need to enter the current password)
2. Tap the contact name to open settings
3. Find Preset Secret Messages
4. You can either:
   • Change the phrase (enter old phrase, then new phrase)
   • Disable the feature entirely (toggle OFF)
5. If you change the phrase, communicate the new one to the other person through a secure channel

How Password Protection Works Technically

Application-Level vs. System-Level

Preset secret messages operates at the application level:

• The app stores the password hash (not the plaintext password) in its local data
• When you tap a protected conversation, the app checks your input against the stored hash
• If it matches, the app decrypts and displays the local message cache
• If it doesn’t match, the app refuses to display the messages

This means:

• The password protects local access — it prevents someone using your phone from opening that specific chat
• The password does not affect encryption in transit — messages are encrypted using the standard RSA + SRP + Double Ratchet protocol regardless
• The password is device-specific — the same conversation on a different device may not have the same preset phrase set

What Happens If You Forget the Password

This is the most common practical issue with preset secret messages. Since the feature is designed to be unbreakable from the outside, there’s no “forgot password” button that emails you a reset link.

Options if you forget the phrase:

1. Ask the other person — if they remember, they can tell you (through another channel)
2. Contact BatChat support — support@batchat.com may be able to assist, but this would likely require account verification
3. Clear app data — this is the nuclear option. Clearing BatChat’s data (Settings > Apps > BatChat > Storage > Clear Data) removes all local data including protected conversations. You’ll need to re-register and start fresh

Important: There is no documented password recovery mechanism. This is intentional — a recovery mechanism would be a security vulnerability (anyone who can access the recovery method could bypass the password).

Password Storage Security

The password phrase is stored locally on your device. BatChat presumably stores a cryptographic hash rather than the plaintext password, but this cannot be independently verified since the app is closed source. If someone gains physical access to your device and extracts the app’s data (e.g., through forensic tools on a rooted device), the password hash might be extractable. However, a properly implemented hash (bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2) makes brute-forcing the original phrase from the hash computationally expensive.

Use Cases for Preset Secret Messages

Use Case 1: Protecting Sensitive Work Conversations

If you discuss confidential work matters — business strategy, salary information, client details — preset secret messages adds a layer of protection beyond the app lock. Even if a colleague briefly borrows your phone and you’ve unlocked BatChat for them, they can’t open the specific conversation containing sensitive information.

Use Case 2: Personal Conversations You Don’t Want Anyone to Find

Some conversations are private not because they’re illegal or inappropriate, but because they’re personal. Health discussions, relationship conversations, financial planning — these are legitimate topics that benefit from an extra access barrier.

Use Case 3: Shared Devices

If multiple people use the same device (e.g., a family tablet), preset secret messages ensures that each person’s sensitive conversations are protected even though the BatChat account might be logged in for everyone.

Use Case 4: Journaling or Notes

Some users leverage chat conversations as note-taking tools (sending themselves information). Protecting these “note” conversations with preset secret messages turns them into a private, password-protected notebook.

Use Case 5: Legal or Medical Communication

For conversations with lawyers, doctors, or therapists, preset secret messages provides an additional privacy layer beyond what encryption alone offers. While not a substitute for professional confidentiality standards, it’s a practical measure for personal device security.

Comparison: Preset Secret Messages vs. Other Access Control Methods

Method	Scope	What It Protects	Resettable
Device screen lock	Entire phone	All apps and data	Yes (PIN/biometric reset)
BatChat unlock password	Entire app	All BatChat conversations	Yes (phone verification)
Preset secret messages	Single conversation	One specific chat	No (no documented recovery)
Hidden/Archived chats	Single conversation	Visibility in chat list	N/A (organizational)

Preset secret messages occupies a unique position: it’s the only per-conversation access control. The trade-off for this granularity is the lack of a reset mechanism.

Limitations and Considerations

Not a Substitute for Device Encryption

Preset secret messages protects against casual snooping within the BatChat app. It does not protect against:

• Full device forensic extraction
• Backup extraction (if the phone is backed up to a computer, the app data may be included)
• Keyloggers capturing your password as you type it
• Screen capture via compromised or rooted devices (though BatChat’s OS-level screenshot protection helps)

Both Parties Must Cooperate

The feature requires both chat participants to set up and use the preset phrase. If one person forgets the phrase, neither can access the conversation. This mutual dependency can be problematic if communication between the two parties breaks down.

Usability Friction

Every time you want to read the protected conversation, you must type the password phrase. For frequently accessed conversations, this becomes tedious. Users tend to either:

• Choose simple, easy-to-type phrases (reducing security)
• Disable the feature on frequently used conversations

The ideal use is for conversations you access occasionally but want strongly protected — not for your primary daily chat.

No Timer or Auto-Lock Configuration

As documented, the preset secret messages password is required every time you open the conversation. There doesn’t appear to be a timeout-based configuration (e.g., “don’t require password for 5 minutes after entry”). This is a usability trade-off for stronger security.

FAQ

What is the difference between preset secret messages and the unlock password?

The unlock password (解锁密码) protects the entire BatChat app — you must pass it to access any conversation. Preset secret messages (预设密信) protects a specific conversation — even if you’ve passed the app unlock, you still need the conversation’s password to open it. They stack: app unlock is the outer door, preset messages are individual room locks.

Can I set a different preset phrase for each conversation?

Yes. Preset secret messages is configured per conversation. You can have different password phrases for different chats, or enable it on some conversations while leaving others unprotected.

What happens if I type the wrong password multiple times?

BatChat does not publicly document an account lockout policy for incorrect preset phrase entries. However, repeated wrong entries may trigger a temporary cooldown period to prevent brute-force attempts. This is standard security practice for password-protected features.

Can preset secret messages be bypassed by uninstalling and reinstalling BatChat?

Since BatChat claims zero server storage, chat history is local. Uninstalling the app typically removes local data, which means the protected messages would be lost along with the password. There is no documented server-side recovery of conversation data after app reinstallation.

Is there a way to recover a forgotten preset secret message password?

There is no documented password recovery mechanism. Options include asking the other participant, contacting BatChat support, or clearing app data (which deletes all local conversations). This is intentional — a recovery mechanism would weaken the security.

Do both people in the chat need to set up the preset phrase, or does one setting apply to both?

When you enable preset secret messages and set a phrase, the other person is prompted to enter (or set) the phrase the next time they try to open that conversation. Both must know and enter the same phrase. It is a shared secret between the two participants.