Posted by Following the launch of passkeys on Android in October 2023, Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has finally introduced passkey support on iOS– a new way to securely log back into the account without relying on SMS-based OTP. Passkeys on WhatsApp for iOS will let iPhone users access their WhatsApp accounts using Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode. Let’s get into the details.
WhatsApp for iOS gets support for passkeys
The tech industry is gradually moving towards a passwordless future where people would no longer require passwords to protect their accounts. Passkeys are being projected as a more secure way to log in. Late last year, Google announced to make passkeys default for signing into Google Accounts, following which WhatsApp announced the support for passkeys on Android.
The support for passkeys has now arrived for WhatsApp’s iOS app after months of waiting. It will allow users to log back into their accounts securely with just their Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode and skip the reliance on SMS code.
WhatsApp announced passkey support via its official Channel on the app at 9:32 PM on April 24. It also shared the announcement via a post on X (formerly Twitter) minutes later.
How to setup passkey on WhatsApp
To set up the passkeys on WhatsApp for iOS, you need to open the app and go to Settings > Account > Passkeys. Then you need to tap on Create Passkey and tap Continue. The app will ask you to use a screen lock to create your passkey.
To remove a passkey, you need to go to your WhatsApp Settings > Account > Passkeys and tap Revoke.
This feature may not be available to you yet, but it should arrive soon. To become feature-ready, make sure that you are using the latest version of the app. Go to the Apple App Store, search WhatsApp, and Update the app if you see the option.