WhatsApp has introduced a new passkey feature that allows users to restore their encrypted chat backups more easily and securely. 

With this update, users can now access their backups using their device’s fingerprint, face ID, or screen lock instead of remembering long passwords or keeping complicated encryption keys.

According to WhatsApp, the new system is designed to make account recovery simpler while keeping users’ data safe. This means that if you lose your phone, you can still regain access to your chats using your previous device’s authentication method, such as your fingerprint or screen lock code.

Before now, WhatsApp relied on passwords or a 64-character encryption key to protect backups. While this ensured privacy, it also created problems when users forgot their passwords or misplaced their keys often leading to the permanent loss of chat history. The new passkey feature solves this issue by linking backup access directly to the user’s device.

The feature is being rolled out gradually to WhatsApp’s over 3 billion users worldwide. The company said users will receive the update in the coming weeks and months. To check if the feature is available, users can go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup > End-to-end encrypted backup and look for the option to use a passkey.

Reports show that some users in Nigeria have already gained access to the feature and successfully activated it through their settings.

This new update is part of WhatsApp’s continued effort to improve privacy and security across its platform. In recent months, the company has rolled out several safety tools to protect users from online scams. It also revealed that it banned over 6.8 million accounts linked to scam operations worldwide.

Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, is also working with OpenAI to combat AI-generated scam messages. This partnership has already helped disrupt multiple fraud networks, including those traced to Cambodia.

By introducing passkeys, WhatsApp is taking another major step toward making its platform safer and more user-friendly giving people more control over their data without the stress of managing passwords or long encryption codes.