WhatsApp now lets Android users log into their accounts more securely with the new passkey feature. Before, you’d use a one-time password and maybe a six-digit PIN for extra safety. Now, Android users can use their face or fingerprint to log in, with a passkey saved on their phone.
This happened after Google shared plans to ditch passwords and use passkeys on Android and online. WhatsApp made this announcement through platform X, which used to be Twitter. Though a new way to log in exists, the old fingerprint lock option isn’t going away. You can still log in the old way with your phone number and a one-time password if you want.
Now, what’s a passkey? It’s a safer way to log into apps without using a password. Instead of typing a password and a one-time password, you just use your fingerprint or PIN. This passkey is a special kind of online ID stored on your phone, which works with two techs – public key cryptography and biometric check on your phone. Your passkey stays on your device, so it’s safe even if WhatsApp gets hacked as there are no passwords to steal. Other big names like Adobe, Amazon, and Google are also exploring or already using passkeys for logging in.
WhatsApp says this new passkey feature will make logging back in both easier and safer. To set it up on WhatsApp for Android, go to settings, tap on Account, then Passkeys, and Create a passkey. Follow the instructions, and you’ll see a passkey made for you on WhatsApp.
This feature was first tested on the WhatsApp beta version for Android and will come to all users in a future update. So, if you have the latest version of WhatsApp, you might need to wait a bit to use this new feature.