WhatsApp working to implement new security layer with passkey

August 12, 2023

2 min read

If you’re a WhatsApp user, there are different ways to protect your account – such as using a traditional password and two-factor authentication. And soon, users will have another option to secure their account, as WhatsApp has been working to implement passkey support.

WhatsApp to get passkey support

There are many apps and websites that have already announced passkey support, and WhatsApp could be next. While Meta is yet to announce anything, WABetaInfo has found a hidden passkey setup menu in the latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android. “You can now use your fingerprint, face, or screen lock to verify if it’s you with a passkey,” a message reads.

Unfortunately, the feature still seems to be under development with no way to enable it, but this is a strong hint that WhatsApp users may soon have the option to protect their account with a passkey instead of a traditional password.

For those unfamiliar, passkey is an industry-wide effort to create a more secure authentication system. Instead of traditional passwords, users can now sign in with facial recognition or biometrics without ever having to create and type in a regular passcode. The technology was developed by FIDO Alliance in partnership with Apple, Google, and Microsoft.

In June, Apple announced that it would automatically assign a passkey to Apple ID accounts for users on iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma. This means that users will be able to authenticate to Apple.com, iCloud.com, or other Apple-associated websites using their passkey as a credential instead of having to enter a password.

Since iOS 16, users can create and store passkeys with Safari and iCloud Keychain. Now, with iOS 17, this same experience will be available for third-party apps. More recently, TikTok and the popular password manager 1Password also announced support for passkeys.

As for the WhatsApp update, there’s no word on when it will become available to users.