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WhatsApp is now making the Passkey feature available to Android users around the world. This feature helps improve security and also makes signing in to your account more stress-free and convenient. Users can now prepare to wave SMS-delivered one-time passwords goodbye, as the passkey will replace this already existing security feature.
With this new feature, WhatsApp is leveraging a security tool that most users of their app have access to. Over the years, various forms of biometric identification have become more popular among smartphone users. Passkey identification leverages this security tool to make accessing your account on any device more secure, fast, and stress-free.
The past few months have seen WhatsApp beta test this feature, which is now becoming available to the public. But what exactly is a passkey, and how will this new WhatsApp security feature work? These might be some of the questions that are weighing upon your mind, and this article will provide answers.
Everything you need to know about the new WhatsApp Passkey feature
A passkey is simply a digital credential that permits users to sign in to various accounts online without entering their username and password. This mode of sign-in syncs across various devices and they employ the use of biometric sensors to confirm the user’s identity. Credentials generated from this style of log-in can also be stored on Password Manager apps for quick access on any device.
In comparison with regular password sign-in methods, passkey sign-in is more secure, faster, and stress-free. WhatsApp is now joining Google to announce this log-in system on its app. Users can now sign in to their account on any device by using the biometric system on that device. This mode of log-in does away with the need for two-factor authentication, hence being more secure.
Two-factor authentication was a bit vulnerable to phishing attacks and stressful for users. Some users found it a bit stressful accessing the two-factor authentication code that is sent to them via SMS or email. Sometimes the code doesn’t come through and users would have to request it repeatedly.
This feature is currently rolling out to WhatsApp users around the world. WhatsApp will prompt users to create a passkey for their account, giving them quick log-in on any device. The arrival of the WhatsApp Passkey feature doesn’t mean the end of password log-in, as both will exist together.
Users will be able to pick between either log-in option based on their preferences. The passkey users create can be saved on their password manager app, so it syncs with their Google account on all devices. In the coming days, more users around the world will gain access to this security feature via an app update.