What you need to know
- Passkey access is now an added option for logging in to WhatsApp for Android on top of passwords, utilizing on-device face ID or fingerprint for a more secure login process.
- Passkeys use advanced cryptography for enhanced security, and WhatsApp’s announcement follows Google’s lead in adopting this authentication method.
- WhatsApp users can enable passkey in the latest version of the messaging app on the stable channel.
WhatsApp is always looking for ways to make your conversations more secure, and it’s now bringing passkeys to Android in an effort to beef up security when accessing your chats.
The Meta-owned company announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it is joining the passkey revolution, ditching those old-school passwords and annoying two-factor authentication codes for a more secure way to log in. WhatsApp previously tested this functionality with its beta users for several months.
Android users can easily and securely log back in with passkeys 🔑 only your face, finger print, or pin unlocks your WhatsApp account pic.twitter.com/In3OaWKqhyOctober 16, 2023
If you’ve been struggling to remember a bunch of random words and numbers, passkeys will now make your life a lot easier by utilizing your facial ID or fingerprint to unlock your WhatsApp account in a snap. Passkeys are stored on your phone, so hackers can’t steal them.
Unlike passwords, which can be stolen or tricked out of you, passkeys are hidden away on your device, like a secret code that only your phone knows. So, even if a phishing email tries to lure you into revealing your login details, there’s nothing to reveal since passkeys use advanced cryptography.
This new way to protect accounts is all the rage, and it doesn’t look like the hype is dying down anytime soon. Even Google is so confident in passkeys that it made this method the default way to log in for personal accounts. Other platforms, such as X and LinkedIn, are already working to join the fray, and it’s only a matter of time before some of your favorite messaging apps do as well.
Previously, WhatsApp had some optional security features like a two-step verification PIN and a fingerprint lock that you could set to automatically lock your app after a certain period of time. These features will be around for a while alongside passkeys for an added layer of security.