A few months after Android, the iOS version of the WhatsApp application is completed with passkeys – access keys in French. They represent the future of passwords, thanks to their strengths in resisting computer attacks.
A new layer of security is coming to the WhatsApp app on iOS. Since April 24, 2024, an update is being deployed, so that everyone can have access to the access keys – or passkeys, in English. These keys are considered the future of passwords because they have many advantages.
Creating a passkey on WhatsApp, on the iOS side, is very simple. In the application settings, under the “Account” section, a line called “Access keys” is available — as shown in the first screen in the screenshot below. You just need to follow the few steps to validate the creation of the passkey.
Once the creation procedure has been started, a window will pop up asking where you want to save the passkey. By default, WhatsApp will suggest the default active password manager in the operating system (here, 1Password). Then simply confirm the recording in your manager, in the desired location. That’s all.
On Android, passkey management in WhatsApp has already been available since October 2023 and the deployment is a priori complete. Concerning iOS, the function is very recent. If it doesn’t appear in the app, it may be out of date. It should take a few weeks to make the feature accessible to everyone.
Additional security for WhatsApp
The implementation of passkeys is part of a long list of developments in instant messaging to protect discussions.
We can cite end-to-end encryption by default, two-factor authentication or, more recently, ChatLock to put a code on a discussion, the possibility of hiding chats or even end-to-end encryption of backups in the cloud. Some measures have been extended to the PC version, such as strong authentication.
The best password managers on the market all manage access keys, so Internet users not using 1Password will have no trouble handling them. It is not obligatory to use passkeys – in this case, you must however adhere to good practices when it comes to password creation, to be safe.
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