WhatsApp Adds Stronger Two-Step Authentication and Multiple Passkeys Support

WhatsApp is rolling out new security features to help users keep their accounts protected against account thieves and scammers. First of all, WhatsApp users who have turned on two-step verification can now set up full passwords instead of relying on the current six-digit PIN system.

When two-step verification is enabled, WhatsApp users currently need to type in their PIN if they register their phone number on WhatsApp again. “Until now it was a six-digit PIN, we’ve now upgraded it to a full password: longer, alphanumeric, and even with special ch@racters to make it harder to guess. If you’ve been using “123456,” this is your sign to upgrade,” the WhatsApp team said today.

WhatsApp started rolling out passkey support in 2023, starting with Android users, and the feature now lets users log in faster when two-step verification is on using their device’s built-in biometrics. Passkeys can also be used to protect end-to-end encrypted backups, and the WhatsApp team said today that more than 1 billion users now use a passkey.

When created, WhatsApp passkeys are saved in the device’s password manager. However, people using WhatsApp on both iOS and Android devices can now add more than one passkey to their account.

Lastly, WhatsApp is rolling out new warning messages on its Android call screen that will be displayed when people who aren’t in users’ contact lists are calling. The additional context will detail if the number is based in a different country, or if the caller has some groups in common with the person they’re calling.