Meta-owned WhatsApp has announced to roll out support for a password-less passkey feature to all Android users. The move will help WhatsApp users on Android bid goodbye to insecure and even annoying two-factor SMS authentication. “Android users can easily and securely log back in with passkeys. Only your face, finger print, or pin unlocks your WhatsApp account,” the company posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Passkeys were previously being tested by WhatsApp in its beta channel, but it’s now coming to regular users. There is still no information on support for WhatsApp passkeys on iPhones.
Android support will roll out over the coming weeks and months, according to the company. Passkeys can replace traditional passwords with your device’s own authentication methods.
Apple and Google already support passkeys for their users. Google last week prompted users to shun passwords on their accounts in favour of passkeys. To use passkeys, you just use a fingerprint, face scan or pin to unlock your device, and they are 40 per cent faster than passwords, and rely on a type of cryptography that makes them more secure.
“But while they’re a big step forward, we know that new technologies take time to catch on, so passwords may be around for a little while,” Google had said in a statement.
Google earlier this year rolled out support for passkeys, a simpler and more secure way to sign into your accounts online, and received positive feedback.
WhatsApp’s New Audio and Video Menu Feature
The messaging and calling platform WhatsApp has recently rolled out a new feature for beta testers called ‘Audio and Video Menu.’ Currently, WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.21.1.71 has been marked compatible for this new update, however, soon more people would be able to employ this feature.
Recently, it was announced that WhatsApp would soon include improved control for quick video messages. Through this option, WhatsApp gave users more control over this function by enabling them to turn off video messaging. Due to multiple complaints from customers who felt that the instant video messaging functionality didn’t work efficiently, it looks like WhatsApp is abandoning this feature. One of the main reasons behind this is that users had to manually enable this option, and everyone was not aware about this. However, with new Audio and Video Menu feature, users can instantly switch between the audio and video mode without doing any manual setting in the application. The WhatsApp New Audio and Video Menu allows users to instantly use audio or video message option depending on the requirement. This is more user-friendly and provides more control and flexibility.