WhatsApp this week announced that it is adding passkey-encrypted chat backups, allowing users protect their stored messages using Touch ID or Face ID instead of a 64-digit key.
The feature extends the app’s 2021 end-to-end encrypted backup system, which previously required users to create and save a lengthy key to restore chats. With passkeys, authentication uses each device’s built-in authentication hardware like Touch ID or Face ID, meaning the private cryptographic key never leaves the phone. This makes backups both more secure and much easier to restore.
The rollout is set to be global and gradual over the coming weeks. Users can enable it via Settings → Chats → Chat backup → End-to-end encrypted backup once available. iCloud and Google Drive remain the storage destinations for iOS and Android, respectively. The move continues Meta’s broader adoption of passkeys, which WhatsApp first supported for account logins in 2023.
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