Meta today announced a set of new security features for WhatsApp, including expanded passkey support and stronger two-step verification. Here are the details.
WhatsApp announces account security features
Meta today announced that WhatsApp now supports more than one passkey for the same account, a welcome feature for users who use both iOS and Android devices.
WhatsApp says more than 1 billion people now use passkeys to log back into their accounts with Face ID, Touch ID, or a screen lock code. The company first introduced passkey support on Android in October 2023 and expanded it to iPhone the following April.
Additionally, WhatsApp announced today that its two-step verification feature is expanding beyond a six-digit PIN to support full alphanumeric passwords, including special characters.
As WhatsApp explains, “two-step verification is an extra protection layer that helps prevent someone from taking over your account, even if they get hold of your one-time passcode,” and you can learn more about that here.
Finally, alas, this last feature is only available on Android for now, WhatsApp is adding a feature designed to make calls from unknown contacts safer to pick up.
From the press release:
When you get a call from someone not saved in your contacts, a little context can help you decide whether to pick up. On Android, you’ll now see more information about a non-contact caller, like whether the number is from a different country and if you have any groups in common. Scammers rely on urgency – now you can take a beat with some more info before answering.
It is worth mentioning that iPhone users can rely on a similar feature for traditional phone calls. Apple’s Call Screening feature, available on iPhones running iOS 26, automatically asks unknown callers for their name and reason for calling before the iPhone rings. Although it does not work with WhatsApp calls, you can learn more about it here.
To learn more about the security features WhatsApp announced today, follow this link.
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