WhatsApp Enhancements: Passkey Support in Development for iOS, Compatibility with iOS 17 Devices Revealed

WhatsApp is actively working on enhancing its user authentication system by introducing passkey support for iOS, as indicated by a feature tracker. This latest development from the Meta-owned messaging giant aims to implement passkeys, a cutting-edge passwordless authentication technology that streamlines the login process by enabling users to access their accounts through biometric verification. While this innovative feature has already been successfully incorporated into WhatsApp for Android, the latest insights suggest that iOS users will soon benefit from a similar seamless authentication experience.

WABetaInfo, a reliable feature tracker, uncovered a new passkey-related menu in the recent version of WhatsApp beta for iOS, marked as 2.24.2.73. This discovery strongly hints at the imminent introduction of passkey support for iOS users, adding an extra layer of convenience and security to the login process. With this upcoming feature, users running on the latest version of iOS can look forward to a more streamlined and user-friendly experience, as they leverage biometrics for swift and secure access to their WhatsApp accounts.

The passkey feature, which gained prominence on WhatsApp for Android, allows users to set up a passkey that facilitates quick and secure login back into their accounts on the same device. As the integration of this feature into the iOS platform looms on the horizon, WhatsApp users can anticipate a harmonized and standardized experience across different operating systems. This move aligns with the broader industry trend towards passwordless authentication, offering users a more secure and convenient way to access their digital accounts.

The forthcoming update, expected to bring passkey support to WhatsApp for iOS, represents another stride towards refining the user experience within the messaging app. As technology continues to evolve, these enhancements underscore WhatsApp’s commitment to staying at the forefront of secure and user-friendly communication platforms. As users await the official rollout, the introduction of passkeys for iOS adds to the anticipation surrounding the continual evolution of WhatsApp’s features and functionalities.

A passkey is a hardware-backed authentication mechanism designed by the FIDO Alliance along with major firms like Apple, Google, and Microsoft that uses cryptography on a user’s device for passwordless sign-ins that are authenticated with Touch ID or Face ID, while cutting the risks of phishing attacks. On Android, WhatsApp passkeys are stored securely in Google’s password manager — it is expected to use Apple’s Keychain system on iOS.

While the latest version of WhatsApp beta for iOS includes code for the new passkey menu, you can’t actually create one as the functionality hasn’t been enabled. WhatsApp will first roll out the feature to users on the beta testing channel (via TestFlight) before it brings passkey support to all users on the stable version of the app.

However, not all iOS users will have access to passkeys. While passkeys are supported on Android phones running Android 9 or newer, only iPhone models that are running on iOS 17 will support third party access to passkeys. This means that if you have an iPhone XR or newer that is updated to iOS 17, you will be able to use passkeys in the future to log back into your WhatsApp account with Face ID or Touch ID.