A year ago, we started talking about passkeys as a promising alternative to traditional passwords. Supported by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the FIDO Alliance, this technology has already been adopted by giants such as Google, Microsoft or Apple, and now this support is definitely reaching WhatsApp, one of the most popular applications in the world.

What are passkeys. “Access keys,” as Google calls them, replace traditional passwords with the well-known WebAuthn encryption key pair scheme (one public, one private). Private keys reside on the user’s mobile phone or computer and are generated and verified using biometric methods such as fingerprints or facial recognition.

WhatsApp signs up for password keys. This messaging platform started working on password support at the beginning of August and launched a beta version of its mobile app that supports this feature at the end of September. They are responsible now Announced on X We declare that this support is accurate, stable and available to all users.

Farewell to SMS. With this innovation, WhatsApp says goodbye to the security codes that previously came as SMS and provided access to the account. To use these passwords, the app allows you to use the same methods we use to unlock the phone: fingerprint, facial recognition, PIN or pattern. The encryption key is stored in Google Password Manager, and the whole system helps us not only strengthen security, but also configure WhatsApp on a new mobile phone more easily.

Exceptions. However, the adoption of passkeys in WhatsApp is not complete: there are certain built-in utilities, such as blocking chats, that continue to be activated by biometric authentication. Additionally, WhatsApp will continue to offer passwords for user authentication as an alternative for now, so both methods will coexist, giving users time to get used to this new technology.

first on Android. This option is already implemented in the new version of WhatsApp for Android, but its distribution will be gradual: it will reach users in the coming weeks and months. There is currently no data regarding the arrival of WhatsApp for iPhones with iOS.

A great idea comes together. Passkeys are a great alternative to traditional passwords for several reasons. The most relevant for users is obvious: they won’t have to remember them because their device will create, store and use them for them. We only need our fingerprint or face to manage a much more transparent and secure process. This technology is actually resistant to phishing attacks, which will prevent us from being affected by alarming mass password thefts.

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