WhatsApp has added a major new feature, making it possible to encrypt chat backups with end-to-end encryption.

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging platforms. While the app has offered end-to-end encryption for years, if a user chose to backup their chats via iCloud or Google Drive, those backups did not have the same level of encryption.

The company has now added that, with Mark Zuckerberg making the announcement on Facebook, and emphasizing the technical hurdles that were overcome.

We’re adding another layer of privacy and security to WhatsApp: an end-to-end encryption option for the backups people choose to store in Google Drive or iCloud. WhatsApp is the first global messaging service at this scale to offer end-to-end encrypted messaging and backups, and getting there was a really hard technical challenge that required an entirely new framework for key storage and cloud storage across operating systems.

The feature is good news for all users and adds another significant layer of privacy and security.