WhatsApp will receive support for a new type of security with an update, making the app much safer. This changes with passkeys.
New security on WhatsApp
If you use WhatsApp a lot, it is important that all messages, photos and videos are properly secured in the app. In a new test version of WhatsApp, it seems that a new layer of security is being added to the app. You can also unlock WhatsApp via passkeys. This new security method is extended to third-party apps in iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma.
Also read: New WhatsApp feature: screen sharing is now possible
With passkeys it is no longer necessary to remember a separate password to secure your account. Instead, the new security way unlocks an account with Face ID or Touch ID. You don’t even need a written password anymore. This new option will probably be added to WhatsApp’s security with a new update. That is how it works.
WhatsApp works with passkeys
You can already secure your WhatsApp account with a six-digit code. You need that password if you want to log in to WhatsApp on another device. Do you register your phone number with WhatsApp on another device? Then you still need the pin code. There is a good chance that you no longer know what that code is exactly, but with the new security on WhatsApp, you no longer have to.
With passkey you use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock WhatsApp. You then no longer need a pin code to log in to WhatsApp via another device. The big advantage of passkeys is that passwords can no longer be leaked in the event of a major hack, for example. After all, pin codes and passwords are no longer necessary and biometric security layers are not stored.
WhatsApp gets better security with passkeys
Moreover, you cannot enter passkeys manually, so that bystanders can no longer read your password. The new way of security is therefore much safer, and has already appeared in a test version of WhatsApp. So there is a good chance that passkeys will also come to WhatsApp. And the big advantage of passkeys: the security also works on non-Apple devices.
Read also: Sending a message on WhatsApp without saving a contact – that’s how it works
For example, you can also log in to WhatsApp on a Windows laptop via passkeys. A QR code will appear that you can scan with your iPhone. You will then receive a notification on your phone, which you can use to log in via Face ID or Touch ID. So you don’t have to have a Mac for the new security of WhatsApp. If you log in via a Mac, you don’t need an iPhone to unlock via passkeys.
More tips for WhatsApp
WhatsApp is therefore a lot safer if passkeys are added to the security. The security method was introduced in iOS 16 and can already be used when logging in to websites via Safari. In iOS 17, this will be extended to external applications, such as WhatsApp. In the future, you will no longer need passwords, but you can use the fingerprint scanner or facial recognition everywhere.
Do you find the new security useful and do you want more tips for WhatsApp? Earlier we explained how to edit already sent messages on WhatsApp and which new feature makes video calling on WhatsApp much better. Do you want to be online on WhatsApp without anyone noticing? Read here how to turn off your online status while you’re on WhatsApp.
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