In its latest update, WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that enables users on both iOS and Android to secure their chat backup data with passkey-based encryption, allowing protection via biometric methods such as fingerprint or facial recognition or a device’s screen-lock code, instead of relying on a cumbersome password or 64-digit encryption key. According to the company’s announcement, “Many of us carry years of precious memories in our WhatsApp chats – photos, heartfelt voice notes, and important conversations. That’s why protecting them if you ever lose your phone or need to transfer to a new device is so important.” The incremental launch, which covers the coming weeks and months, builds on the backup end-to-end encryption capability introduced in 2021, which required users to either save a 64-digit key or create a custom password. The shift to passkeys streamlines the user experience, effectively eliminating the need to remember or store lengthy keys while maintaining strong encryption standards. The move underscores WhatsApp’s commitment to protecting chat history stored in the cloud—by default stored on Google Drive or iCloud and addresses prior concerns that backups lacked the same level of end-to-end encryption as chats themselves.
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For corporate users and enterprises leveraging WhatsApp for communications especially in regulated or privacy-sensitive environments—this enhancement means chat backup data can now be aligned more closely with organisational data protection requirements without adding complexity for the end user. Businesses should evaluate the rollout in their mobile device management (MDM) and security policies, ensuring that biometric or device-level authentication is enabled, educating users about the importance of safeguarding their device lock credentials, and reviewing their backup-restore workflows, since encrypted backups tied to passkeys may impact migration or device-replacement procedures. The phased availability suggests organisations should monitor their WhatsApp version deployments and test the backup-restore process in their region before relying on the feature in mission-critical contexts.
