WhatsApp this week announced the introduction of a password-protected chat backup feature. According to MacRumors, this will allow users to protect their saved messages with Touch ID instead of a 64-character key.
This feature expands on the fully encrypted backup system introduced in 2021, which previously required users to create and save a long key to restore chats. With passwords, authentication uses the device's built-in authentication hardware, such as Touch ID, ensuring that the private cryptographic key never leaves the phone. This makes backups more secure and significantly easier to restore.
The feature will be rolled out globally and gradually over the next few weeks. Once the feature is available, users will be able to activate it by going to Settings > Chat > Chat Backup > Full Encrypted Backup.
iCloud and Google Drive will continue to be cloud storage options for iOS and Android users, respectively. The move follows the general trend of Meta's introduction of password keys, which WhatsApp started supporting for account login back in 2023.
Translation by Euromedia24.com
