The new WhatsApp update allows you to encrypt your chat backups using passkeys

Face, finger, or screen lock code: These passkeys are all you’ll need to encrypt backups of WhatsApp conversations in the near future, the messaging app. Announce Thursday. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, The most popular messaging app In the world, she said she would roll out the changes over the coming months.

“Now, with a single click or glance, the same security that protects your personal WhatsApp chats and calls is applied to your chat backups, so they’re always safe, accessible and private,” the company said.

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Passkeys are quickly overtaking passwords as a safer and easier way for computer users to log in or sign in. Instead of remembering our Average 301 passwordsPasskeys use facial recognition or your fingerprint — or lock screen code — to log in. According to recent research, adopting a passkey It grows quicklyspeed up login times and reduce IT help desk incidents.

A WhatsApp representative did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.

What are passkeys?

we The concept of passkeys is explained in depth herebut the simplest explanation is that passkeys are passwordless logins. To log in, you must look at the screen (face recognition), tap the screen (fingerprint recognition) or enter a multi-digit screen lock code.

Many smartphone users already use facial recognition technology or passcodes to access their devices.

In 2021, WhatsApp initially allowed customers to secure their encrypted chat backup with either a password or a 64-digit encryption key.

How we do it, and why

Many WhatsApp users have a large collection of messages, photos, videos and voice notes stored on their phones, dating back years. They can be stored exclusively on your device or backed up to Google Drive (for Android) or iCloud (for iPhone).

If you don’t encrypt your backup conversations — basically, Convert them into a secret code – Someone else can access it. This could be a cybercriminal or even Google or Apple themselves. Encrypting your backed up chats removes this fear. You don’t need to wait for WhatsApp to enable passkey encryption; You can do this now using a 64-digit password or key. In the application go to Settingsthen Chatsthen Chat backup And then End-to-end encrypted backup.

You can’t encrypt backed up chats if you haven’t backed them up already. To do this, go to Settings, Chats, Chat backup. From there, you can back up to your iCloud or Google account, if you have one, and set an automatic backup schedule.