Looks like WhatsApp is bringing in passkeys to secure your chats even further

a person holding a phone with the WhatsApp logo on it
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

WhatsApp will apparently soon offer support for passkeys, which will let users login without needing a password.

According to WABetaInfo, the latest Android beta version for the encrypted messaging app contains a hidden settings menu with a toggle button to turn passkeys on or off, although currently it isn't working, suggesting that the feature is still under development.

Interestingly, the accompanying info message states that, "your passkeys are safely stored in your Google Password Manager," but they should also be able to be stored in third party password managers that support passkeys, such as Dashlane and NordVPN. Others will soon support the feature too, including 1Password and Bitwarden.  

No more passwords

Passkeys promise to replace passwords in the near future, with tech giants such as Apple and Google already supporting them for their own systems. They are also board level members of the FIDO alliance, the association that sets the technological standards for passkeys, along with Amazon, Meta and Microsoft, to name a few others.

They are thought to be more secure as they are phishing resistant: there is nothing to phish for from a victim, as the cryptographic key stored on a user's device is not known by anyone - not even themselves. All that is required to authenticate the use of a passkey is what ever you use to lock your device, which is typically your fingerprint, face or PIN.

The faith in the new method of securing accounts shows not signs of abating, and in June, Apple even ramped up its support for passkeys even further by announcing that the upcoming iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma will generate passkeys for your AppleID account automatically to use by default instead of your password.

There have been some concerns, however, that passkeys are being used by big tech to lock users into their respective platforms. However, thanks to the support of passkeys by third party password managers, this gives users the option to use them cross-platform.

But beyond the big tech companies, passkeys still haven't bene adopted by many services so far. The most prominent are eBay, PayPal and BestBuy, and now it looks like WhatsApp is set to join them.

Quite when that will be, though, is not yet known. But it is safe to say that the support is under development and we should see it appear soon in a future update.  

TOPICS
Lewis Maddison
Reviews Writer

Lewis Maddison is a Reviews Writer for TechRadar. He previously worked as a Staff Writer for our business section, TechRadar Pro, where he had experience with productivity-enhancing hardware, ranging from keyboards to standing desks. His area of expertise lies in computer peripherals and audio hardware, having spent over a decade exploring the murky depths of both PC building and music production. He also revels in picking up on the finest details and niggles that ultimately make a big difference to the user experience.

Read more
digital key
Microsoft really wants users to ditch passwords and switch to passkeys
Person using finger print authentication
Passwords out, passkeys in: The future of secure authentication
Google Pixel 9 Pro
Google Password Manager may be set to introduce a nuclear option for its Android app
Young woman working at a coffee shop with a laptop
Too many passwords, not enough brain space? Here’s how password managers can improve your life
1Password partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 team
1Password is making it easier to find passwords based on where you are
A smartphone on a sofa showing the WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal apps
Forget AI – WhatsApp is planning a simple messages feature that could be its most useful upgrade in years
Latest in Pro
Finger Presses Orange Button Domain Name Registration on Black Keyboard Background. Closeup View
I visited the world’s first registered .com domain – and you won’t believe what it’s offering today
Racks of servers inside a data center.
Modernizing data centers: an efficient path forward
Dr. Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage Product Line
Why AI commonization is so important for business intelligent transformation and what Huawei’s data storage has to offer
Wix automation
The world's leading website builder aims to save businesses time with new tool
Data Breach
Thousands of healthcare records exposed online, including private patient information
China
Juniper patches security flaws which could have let hackers take over your router
Latest in News
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 16 (game #1147)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, March 16 (game #378)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, March 16 (game #644)
Three iPhone 16 handsets on show
Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before
Super Mario Odyssey
ChatGPT is the ultimate gaming tool - here's 4 ways you can use AI to help with your next playthrough