Overview
- WhatsApp announced the new security features on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, rolling out a stronger two‑step verification option, support for multiple passkeys per account, and extra caller context on Android devices.
- Two‑step verification is being upgraded from a six‑digit PIN to a full alphanumeric password that can include special characters to make guessed or brute‑forced codes harder to succeed.
- WhatsApp says more than one billion people have set up a passkey and the app now lets users add multiple passkeys so the same account can be unlocked from iOS and Android devices using Face ID, fingerprint or a screen‑lock code.
- On Android, incoming calls from non‑contacts will display contextual signals such as the caller’s country and shared group memberships to give users a pause before answering social‑engineering calls.
- The features are rolling out gradually on iOS and Android, the changes shift account protection beyond end‑to‑end encryption toward device‑held, phishing‑resistant credentials and may also let passkeys protect encrypted backups according to some reports, though rollout details and exact password requirements vary by source.