WhatsApp has introduced a new security feature that will safeguard users’ data and chats to a greater extent. The new security feature introduced by WhatsApp is Passkey-Based End-to-End encryption for chat backups. In simpler terms, this means that WhatsApp users can now protect chat backups using their biometrics (fingerprints and face recognition), or the screen lock used on the device.
Meta’s instant messaging platform WhatsApp announced on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) about the new feature that encrypts chat backups with passkeys. Although WhatsApp provides end-to-end encryption to its users, this new feature is the cherry on the cake. Interestingly, since much of WhatsApp’s competition does not provide end-to-end encryption for chat backups, including Sridhar Vembu’s Zoho Arratai, features like these should give an old timer like WhatsApp a huge competitive advantage in today’s market.
What is Passkey-based protection?
Passkeys are a passwordless alternative used to protect data instead of traditional alphanumeric passwords. The alternative used by passkeys is the device’s built-in verification methods or biometrics (fingerprint and face recognition).
WhatsApp will use these Passkeys to encrypt chat backups of users. The company mentioned in its post that only the user will be able to decrypt and access their backups. Prior to the rollout of this feature, users had to either create a password or a 64-digit encryption key to encrypt their chat backups. This was very troublesome, especially for people who forgot their passwords or people whose handsets got stolen or lost.
How to encrypt Chat Backups on WhatsApp?
The steps required to encrypt chat backups are very simple and have been mentioned below.
Step 1: Open settings on WhatsApp by clicking on the three-dot icon in the top left corner of the screen.
Step 2: Select the ‘Chats’ option in the settings menu
Step 3: Selecting chat backups in the chats menu.
Step 4: Lastly, users need to select end-to-end encrypted backup to activate the feature of generating a passkey.
When can you expect to see Passkey-protected, encrypted chat backup?
WhatsApp says that the Passkey-Based End-to-End encryption for chat backups will be coming to users with a new update to users soon. This feature was rumuored to be in the development stage in August 2024. However, it was released to users as a beta feature in August this year, via the Google Play beta program.
