Once the password key feature is activated on WhatsApp, users will no longer need to remember their passwords or verify their identity using the two-factor authentication method (Reuters).
WhatsApp has provided users of Android devices with a simpler way to access their accounts, known as password keys. This could mark the end of the era of user verification through passwords or two-step authentication.
With the introduction of this new login method, expected to be added to other applications in the near future, the billions of WhatsApp users can access their accounts in a manner akin to unlocking their smartphones, using either a PIN, facial recognition, or fingerprint authentication.
While it remains unclear whether this new feature will be added to the iOS version of WhatsApp, which is used on Apple devices, Google, Apple, and Microsoft are all working on utilizing password keys as an alternative to traditional passwords for accessing accounts on their platforms and applications.
Once the password key feature is activated on any application, users will no longer need to remember their passwords or verify their identity using the two-factor authentication method.
WhatsApp, a subsidiary of Meta Platforms Inc., states that users will need Android 9 or later, as well as a linked Google account with the latest version of the Play Store app, to enable the password key feature in the WhatsApp application. Users will also need to activate the phone screen lock feature.
WhatsApp’s announcement of the new feature coincides with Amazon, the American e-commerce giant, announcing the addition of password keys for accessing e-commerce accounts.
Furthermore, the FIDO Alliance, comprising companies such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft, is developing password key technology to ensure it remains independent of any single technology giant.
