The messaging application incorporates a security option to encrypt your end-to-end message backup. Here’s how to set it up.
A few weeks ago, WhatsApp began the gradual rollout of end-to-end encryption for cloud backups. If the messaging had given no details on the exact date of availability of the option, the deployment seems to be underway for French users.
It has indeed just appeared in the application settings, both on iOS and Android. Thanks to it, the backup of your conversation history is encrypted before being saved online on your iCloud account (iOS) or your Google Drive (Android), thus making it impossible for anyone without the password to access it. or the encryption key. Find out how to set it up.
Also to discover in video:
1. Open Settings
Launch WhatsApp and go to the Application Settings (on Android, options menu, represented by three small dots at the top right of the screen). Then enter the Discussions menu and go to Backup.
2. Enable end-to-end encrypted backup
Now go to the End-to-End Encrypted Backup menu and press the Activate button.
3. Protect your backup
In the window that appears, WhatsApp offers to protect your encrypted backup. Two options are available for this: create a password Where Use a 64-digit encryption key instead.
If you choose Create a password, enter your password the first time and press Next. Then confirm your password by entering it a second time and press Next again. Finally, press the Create button to start creating your end-to-end encrypted backup.
If you choose to Use a 64-digit encryption key instead, then press the Generate your 64-digit key button. When it appears on the screen, tap Continue.
Write it down and keep it safe, press I wrote down my 64-digit key then the Create button.
In either case, you will need to remember your password or the generated encryption key so that you can restore your backup in the future. If you forget your password or encryption key, your backup will be permanently lost and WhatsApp will not be able to do anything about it.
4. Disable end-to-end backup encryption
If for some reason you want to turn off end-to-end encryption for your backup, go to WhatsApp Settings, enter Discussions, then in Backup enter End-to-end encrypted backup.
Tap Disable, enter your backup encryption password, and tap Next.
Finally, press the Deactivate button and then click Done. Before activating the encryption of your WhatsApp backup, keep in mind that the platform cannot reset either your password or the encryption key, since it does not have a copy of it.
Depending on your choice, remember to write down and keep one or the other in a safe place. You will automatically be prompted for these when restoring your backup to a new smartphone or after resetting your device and reinstalling WhatsApp.