WhatsApp to allow Android users to unlock the app using passkeys like fingerprint, face unlock: How to set it up

WhatsApp will now allow users to log in to their accounts via biometrics like fingerprint scanning or face unlock, instead of going through the SMS two-factor authentication. The Meta-owned messaging platform has announced that Android users will now be able to use passkeys to unlock their accounts. The Passkeys feature was being tested by WhatsApp in its beta channel.

Notably, WhatsApp has not yet revealed if this feature will be available for iPhone users or not. For Android users, this feature will start rolling out in the coming weeks and months.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, WhatsApp wrote, “Android users can easily and securely log back in with passkeys only your face, fingerprint, or pin unlocks your WhatsApp account.”

How to create a passkey on WhatsApp

To create a passkey on WhatsApp, you just need to follow these simple steps:

• Open the WhatsApp app on your Android phone
• Go to Settings> Passkeys
• Tap on “Create Passkeys”
• Follow the on-screen instructions

Make sure that your app is up-to-date and your device is running on Android 9 or later. You need to have a Google account, a lock screen enabled. This method will allow users to get access to their WhatsApp accounts in case they don’t want to rely on their traditional passwords.

In addition to this, WhatsApp is expected to introduce a new feature for WhatsApp Web that will allow users to search for specific messages they sent on a particular date, reported WABetaInfo. WhatsApp is likely to allow users to select a date from a calendar interface.  

WhatsApp has also revealed that it will end support on a few devices, starting October 24. As per the official website of the Meta-owned platform, WhatsApp will stop supporting Android smartphones running Android OS 5.0 or below.

To check if WhatsApp will stop working on your device or not, you need to know your operating system version. All you need to do is to go to the Phone Settings>About phone > Software information.

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