Zoho Arattai adds end-to-end encryption for group chats

CHENNAI: Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu said on 25 September that Arattai now supports end-to-end encryption for group messages, and asked users to update the Indian messaging app to get the feature.

"Finally, end-to-end encryption for group messages is here. Please update the Arattai app," Vembu wrote. He added that the work took time because the team had to redo large parts of the app before shipping the group upgrade. That kind of rewrite usually means protocol and client changes, not a cosmetic toggle.

Arattai already offered end-to-end encryption for personal chats. In late 2025, Vembu had shown a redesigned client where users could set encrypted mode as the default for one-to-one conversations and switch between regular and encrypted modes. Group encryption was the missing piece for people who run family, office or community groups on the app.

What is confirmed and what is not

With end-to-end encryption, message contents are intended to stay readable only to participants in the conversation. Vembu's latest note does not name the cryptographic protocol, does not say whether existing groups flip to encrypted automatically, and does not detail how multi-device sessions or message backups behave after the update.

Users should install the latest Android or iOS build and check group settings inside the app rather than assume every old group is already sealed. Feature flags can roll out in phases even after a founder announcement. If a group still shows an older privacy state, force-stop the app, update from the store, and recreate a test group before moving sensitive work chats.

Arattai markets itself as an Indian-hosted messenger with text, calls, groups, stories and document sharing, without an ad-driven model. Network effects still favour larger global apps for many users. Encryption parity on groups removes one common objection from privacy-conscious early adopters, but does not by itself move mass contacts across.

Why the timing matters

Vembu also said Arattai will soon begin a marketing push, suggesting Zoho wants wider consumer attention now that the privacy checklist is closer to complete. Homegrown messengers often struggle to convert curiosity into daily habit when colleagues remain on another app.

For Indian organisations that prefer data residency on domestic servers, group E2EE is a practical checkbox alongside hosting claims. IT admins should still test call quality, file sharing and admin controls before mandating Arattai for internal teams. Backup and device-transfer flows deserve a dry run, because encrypted messengers can fail loudly when a phone is replaced.

Ordinary users who already keep personal chats encrypted can update, open a small test group, and verify the lock indicators Zoho shows in the interface. Until the company publishes a clearer technical note, treat the 25 September post as an availability announcement, not a full security white paper.

Zoho has not priced Arattai as a paid encryption tier in the announcement. The feature is presented as part of the free consumer app update path. That keeps the barrier low, but it also means support quality and spam controls must keep up if marketing brings a sudden influx of new groups.

Reporting basis: Public statement by Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu on 25 September 2026 announcing end-to-end encryption for Arattai group messages and asking users to update the app; prior company communications on personal-chat E2EE and app redesign.