WhatsApp just made encrypted backups way easier to use. The Meta-owned messaging platform is rolling out passkey support for end-to-end encrypted backups, letting users access their protected chat history with fingerprint, face unlock, or device screen lock instead of remembering complex passwords or 64-character encryption keys.
WhatsApp just solved one of its biggest user experience problems. The messaging giant is rolling out passkey support for end-to-end encrypted backups, letting users ditch the headache of remembering complex passwords or storing 64-character encryption keys. Starting in the coming weeks, you'll be able to access your protected chat backups using biometric authentication - fingerprint, face unlock, or your device's screen lock code. It's a seemingly small change that addresses a massive friction point that's kept many users from enabling backup encryption in the first place. The timing couldn't be better. WhatsApp crossed 3 billion active users in May, making it the world's largest messaging platform by a wide margin. But for years, the app had a glaring security gap - while your messages were end-to-end encrypted during transmission, backups stored in Google Drive or iCloud weren't protected at all. Meta finally addressed this vulnerability in 2021 when it introduced end-to-end encrypted backups, requiring users to create either a password or manage a 64-character encryption key. The security was solid, but the user experience was terrible. Lose your password? Your chat history was gone forever. Forget to save that encryption key when switching phones? Say goodbye to years of conversations. Industry experts have long criticized this approach. The friction was so high that many users simply opted out of encrypted backups entirely, leaving their data vulnerable. Enter passkeys - the passwordless authentication standard that's been gaining momentum across the tech industry. By leveraging your device's existing biometric sensors or screen lock, WhatsApp eliminates the memory burden while maintaining the same level of encryption security. The rollout follows Apple's and Google's broader push toward passwordless authentication. Both companies have been integrating passkey support across their ecosystems, from Safari and Chrome to system-level authentication. WhatsApp is essentially riding that wave, making encrypted backups as easy as unlocking your phone. For , this represents another step in its ongoing effort to position itself as a privacy-first company, despite past controversies. The move comes as competitors like and continue to emphasize their security credentials, and as regulatory pressure around data protection intensifies globally. The feature will be available through WhatsApp's existing backup settings menu: Settings > Chats > Chat backup > End-to-end encrypted backup. Users can check if the passkey option appears in their app over the coming weeks as the gradual rollout continues. What makes this particularly significant is the scale of impact. With 3 billion users, even a modest increase in encrypted backup adoption could protect trillions of additional messages from potential breaches or government surveillance. The change also sets up to better compete in the enterprise messaging space, where backup security is often a deal-breaker for corporate adoption.
