WhatsApp is now offering passkey verification support for iOS, eliminating the need for SMS one-time passcodes. This feature was initially introduced on Android six months ago and is rolling out to iOS users gradually, with full availability expected in the next few weeks.
With passkey verification enabled, iOS users can securely log back into WhatsApp using facial recognition, biometrics, or a PIN stored on Apple’s passkey manager.
Passkeys enhance security by making it more challenging for unauthorized individuals to access accounts remotely, as physical access to the phone is also required. Additionally, they eliminate the vulnerability of traditional username and password combinations to phishing attacks.
To activate passkey verification, users can access their app settings, select “Account,” and click on the new “Passkeys” option to set up the verification method.
Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s head of product, expressed excitement for the added security and convenience of passkey verification, stating, “Passkey verification will make logging back into WhatsApp easier and more secure.”
WhatsApp joins a growing list of companies like X (formerly Twitter), Google, PayPal, and TikTok in offering passkey support as part of their security features.
