• WhatsApp says it’s now rolling out support for passkeys in the iOS version of the app.
  • With the feature enabled, users of Meta’s encrypted messaging app can use iPhone biometrics for login — that is, Face ID or Touch ID — or their phone’s passcode.
  • Passkeys can replace traditional passwords with the device’s authentication methods. That way, people can sign in to Gmail, PayPal, or iCloud just by activating Face ID on their iPhone.

Meta has now verified that passkey protection for WhatsApp accounts on iPhones will also be an option as reported by Engadget. For Android users, the feature was initially released in October of last year. In the upcoming weeks, Meta claims that all WhatsApp users should be able to access the feature.

About passkey

Passkeys can take the place of standard passwords by using the authentication mechanisms built into the device. In this manner, people can use the fingerprint sensor on an Android phone, Face ID on their iPhone, or Windows Hello on a PC to log into Gmail, PayPal, or iCloud.

Based on WebAuthn (or Web Authentication) technology, when users generate a passkey, two distinct keys are generated: a private key that is stored on the devices used for identity verification and one that is kept by the website or service hosting the account.

What happens if a device that stores passkeys is lost or broken? Passkeys are compatible with many devices, so people might have a backup on hand. In addition to reauthenticating phone numbers, email addresses, or hardware security keys, many services that support passkeys also do so.

Also read: What is cybersecurity risk management?

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Passkey on WhatsApp iOS

This goes beyond what WhatsApp already offers, which is the ability to unlock its iOS app using one of these methods. Passkey support is now available for the iPhone version, following several months of its distribution to Android WhatsApp users by Meta in October. iOS users will be able to access the app “in the coming weeks,” according to WhatsApp spokesperson Zade Alsawah. In the meantime, make sure to check back.

Passkeys, a form of authentication that replaces passwords and SMS two-factor authentication, are supposed to be the secure (or, at least, more secure; even passkeys have tradeoffs) wave of the future. Because their phones contain the authentication key, users can also log in even when they are not connected to a network. According to WhatsApp, users can check if they already have the feature by going to Settings > Account > Passkeys. However, these kinds of rollouts can take time.