It seems that WhatsApp will soon let iPhone users login to their accounts without a password.
Android users already have the feature, but were teased first with a beta version of the messaging app. Now, iOS users appear to be getting the same treatment.
As with the Android release, the new beta version of WhatsApp on iOS has a new menu setting for passkeys, according to a report from WABetaInfo. The option doesn't work yet, but the site claims it will be available to beta testers soon.
Expanding support
Passkeys are the new passwordless technology that are considered to be safer and more secure than passwords. They are phishing resistant, since the underlying cryptographic private key is stored on device and not known to anyone. Typically, all
a user requires in the way of security is the method that locks their device, such as their fingerprint, face, or PIN.
The standards for the technology are governed by the FIDO Alliance, which has many big tech brands on its board, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Meta (the owner of WhatsApp).
On iPhone, passkeys can be saved to Apple's Keychain, or, since iOS 17, to third-party password managers that support passkeys. FaceID or TouchID can then be used to authenticate their use.
Last year, WhatsApp also added the ability for users to verify the use of the service via email rather than SMS, as an another way to bolster to security. You still need a phone number to use WhatsApp, though.
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