WhatsApp has upgraded its end-to-end encrypted backup system, launching support for passkey authentication that will reach billions of global users in the coming weeks.
This move marks a significant step in removing passwords from sensitive backup processes and letting users secure data with a touch or a look.
Instead of relying on complex passwords or storing lengthy encryption keys, WhatsApp now lets users restore chat backups using familiar device authentication methods, such as fingerprints, facial recognition, or device screen locks. With this change, chat recovery becomes both safer and simpler for everyone.
How Does Passkey Authentication Work for WhatsApp?
Passkey authentication ties WhatsApp backup security to the device’s built-in biometrics or screen lock. Users who enable the new option will unlock encrypted backups on a new device by authenticating just as they would to access their phone or favorite apps.
The need to remember or safely store a separate encryption key is completely removed.
The rollout brings WhatsApp’s backup security in line with its 2023 move to introduce passkey-based login.
Encryption remains fully end-to-end, and access to backup files is granted only to the verified user, not WhatsApp nor any third party.
Did you know?
WhatsApp reached more than three billion monthly active users in 2025, making it the world’s largest messaging platform to implement passkey-secured encrypted backups.
What Problem Does This Update Solve?
For many, passwords and randomly generated encryption keys have been a source of anxiety. If lost or forgotten, there was no way to recover chat history, potentially years of conversations, photos, and memories. This has left users frustrated or hesitant to enable encrypted backup at all.
By letting users choose biometric or device authentication for backup restoration, WhatsApp both raises the bar on convenience and significantly reduces the risk of permanent data loss. Users benefit from backup security that is much harder to bypass but far easier to use daily.
How Is WhatsApp Rolling Out the New Feature?
WhatsApp is launching passkey support in phases, with availability already starting for some users and continuing in the coming months.
To switch on passkey backups, users can visit Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > End-to-End Encrypted Backup and select the new authentication option.
The feature is compatible with existing encrypted backup setups, offering passkeys alongside traditional passwords and 64-character keys.
No data is lost during the transition, and users can choose whichever security option best fits their habits or risk profile.
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Is Device-Based Authentication the Future of Messaging Security?
WhatsApp’s adoption of passkeys signals a larger trend: passwordless security is here to stay. Biometric and device-based authentication are now widely trusted and convenient for mobile users.
Because biometric data never leaves the device, and neither WhatsApp nor intruders can unlock encrypted backups, the overall risk drops significantly for both privacy and user error.
Industry experts see WhatsApp’s move as validation for wider passwordless security, likely accelerating adoption by other messaging platforms and sensitive mobile apps.
As biometric sensors improve and operating systems boost security architecture, device-based authentication will become standard across digital communication.
What Does This Mean for Global Users?
Three billion WhatsApp users worldwide stand to benefit from the new passkey-secured backups. Whether changing phones, upgrading devices, or recovering lost data, users now have a safer, more intuitive pathway to restore their chat history.
This helps secure personal memories, vital records, and everyday conversations, no matter where the user is or how tech-savvy they may be.
WhatsApp’s continued focus on security innovation keeps it at the front of privacy-conscious messaging.
For billions, the arrival of passkey support for backups is a leap forward toward effortless, reliable digital safety.
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