WhatsApp Introduces New Passkey Feature for Android

Meta's messaging platform WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that lets Android users log into their accounts using passkeys.

Instead of typing down passwords or using two-factor authentication, WhatsApp users can now choose between face scans, fingerprint scans, or pin locks to gain access to the app. 

Android users can easily and securely log back in with passkeys 🔑 only your face, finger print, or pin unlocks your WhatsApp account pic.twitter.com/In3OaWKqhy

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) October 16, 2023

Passkeys for Android will roll out in the coming weeks. Before the announcement, the security feature was first beta tested to select users via WhatsApp's beta channel.

Meta has yet to announce whether passkeys will also become available in WhatsApp's iOS version. 

The Benefits of Using Passkeys

The move to integrating passkeys represents a solid step forward for the messaging service, making the login process easier for users and strengthening the security of their accounts. 

A study from Norton revealed that 80% of account breaches in 2022 were related to stolen, weak, or repeated passwords. 

Meanwhile, Google's research showed that passkeys quadrupled the authentication success rate of users compared to using passwords, from 13.8% to 63.8%.

Due to these factors, several tech giants have begun favoring the use of passkeys over traditional passwords and two-step authentication. 

Last week, Google began its switch to passkeys, offering the feature to users as the default way to log in.

"We've found that one of the most immediate benefits of passkeys is that they spare people the headache of remembering all those numbers and special characters in passwords. They’re also phishing resistant," the company concluded in a blog post.

Edited by Nikola Djuric