WhatsApp rolls out passkey-based logins for users on Android phones

The latest in a slew of new features on WhatsApp is a feature that allows users to access their accounts via a passkey. This adds yet another layer of security to one’s conversations on the app. It also means one can say bye to remembering annoyingly long passwords.

Users can now log into their WhatsApp accounts via a simple, easy-to-remember PIN, as well as using biometrics, in the form of facial recognition and fingerprints. Passkeys therefore replace traditional passwords with smartphones’ in-built authentication mechanisms, making the platform far more secure now.

Passkeys, reports suggest, have been in the works for a while now, and were available to WhatsApp’s beta users. However, the feature is now being rolled out to the instant messaging platform’s general user base on Android devices. If and when the feature will be rolled out for iOS devices, remains unknown as of yet.

WhatsApp happens to be the latest platform to jump on the passkeys bandwagon. Apple has been using it for ages now, and Google, just last week, prompted all its users to adopt passkeys instead of traditional passwords.

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In addition to being secure, passkeys are also much faster than passwords, further adding to their utility. However, one must remember that while they do provide an added layer of security, a user isn’t still entirely protected from hacks or phishing. Therefore, one must take care not to set easy-to-guess passkeys.

Other WhatsApp features to watch out for

WhatsApp has been releasing a bunch of new features lately. Some of these include WhatsApp Channels, the ability to share HD photos and videos, edit messages and media captions for up to 15 minutes after they’ve been sent, landscape mode and screen sharing capabilities for video calls, the ability to create groups without names, and a lot more.

Additionally, reports also suggest WhatsApp could introduce a feature to schedule calls and create events for groups in the future, suggesting that it is increasingly looking to take on mainstream meeting apps such as Microsoft Teams and Google Meets, in addition to existing rivals, such as Telegram.