WhatsApp has introduced two new security features designed to help prevent accounts from being hacked, upgrading PINs to passwords and allowing users to add more passkeys. The Meta-owned messaging platform confirmed the changes on Tuesday, alongside an update that provides more context about calls received from people outside a user’s contact list.
When you receive a call from an unknown number, you will now see additional information, such as whether the phone number originates from another country. The measures follow a series of privacy-centred tools rolled out in recent months, including a Scam Alert feature that flags incoming scam messages. In late June, the company also announced that people would be able to create usernames so that their phone numbers would no longer be visible.
Launched in 2009, WhatsApp remains the world’s most widely used messaging app, with more than two billion active users. Facebook Messenger, Snapchat and Telegram follow on the list of most-used services.
Opt for passwords over PINs
Since early 2017, WhatsApp users have relied on a six-digit PIN, either when installing the app on a new device or verifying an account phone number. The company is now letting users upgrade those PINs to passwords, which can include numbers, letters and special characters.
Existing PINs can be retained if preferred. For those choosing passwords, the requirements state that a password must be at least eight characters long and include at least one number and one letter. To set one up, go to WhatsApp Settings, select Account, then Password.
Using a PIN or password forms part of the app’s optional two-step verification process. When logging in, users receive a text message code as the first step, then enter their PIN or password as the second step to open the app.
Use multiple passkeys and identify callers
WhatsApp says users can now hold more than one passkey across both Android and iOS devices. Some people use passkeys instead of PINs or passwords to log in or register a new device. Passkeys rely on fingerprints, facial IDs and screen lock codes to keep the app secure. This means you could use your face to unlock WhatsApp on an iPhone, but use a fingerprint on an Android tablet. To add them, navigate to Settings, then Account, then Passkeys.
People using Android phones can now also get more information about incoming calls from unknown numbers outside their contact list. You will be able to see if the caller is from a different country and whether you share any chat groups in common.
According to cybersecurity expert Joseph Steinberg, author of Cybersecurity for Dummies and a lecturer at Columbia University, greater visibility over incoming callers benefits privacy, usability and security. He noted that scammers often claim to belong to a shared group, and few people verify such claims. If you are genuinely in the group, the app will confirm it.
The password and passkey settings are available through the Account menu within the app on both Android and iOS devices.
