WhatsApp has announced three important security improvements for iOS and Android, including stronger two-step verification, multiple passkeys, and more information about unknown callers.
Some of the features are already rolling out, while others may take time to reach all users.
Two-Step Verification Gets Stronger Passwords
WhatsApp is upgrading its two-step verification system by allowing users to replace the traditional PIN with a password.
Passwords must contain at least eight characters, one letter, and one number.
WhatsApp says this provides stronger protection because passwords allow far more combinations than a simple PIN, making them harder to guess or brute-force.
The option is appearing for some users running the latest versions of WhatsApp on Android and iOS and will gradually become available to more accounts.
More Information About Unknown Calls
Android users are also getting additional information when receiving calls from unknown numbers.
WhatsApp can show whether the caller’s number comes from another country and how many groups the user and caller have in common.
The extra information is intended to help users decide whether an unexpected call could be legitimate or potentially suspicious.
Multiple Passkeys Are Now Supported
WhatsApp is also expanding passkey support.
Users can now register more than one passkey for their account instead of relying on a single one.
Passkeys provide an alternative to traditional passwords by using authentication methods available on a user’s device, adding another layer of protection against unauthorized account access.
WhatsApp Is Testing More Security Features
WhatsApp is separately testing a Scam Alert feature with a limited number of Android beta users.
It uses an on-device machine learning model to analyze messages from unknown contacts and detect common scam patterns.
WhatsApp says the message stays on the user’s device and is not sent to WhatsApp or Meta for analysis.
If the system detects a possible scam, it displays a warning and lets users block and report the sender or mark the conversation as trusted.
Scam Alert is optional and disabled by default.
Payments, Channel Profiles and New Chat Features
WhatsApp is also developing a broader payments section on iOS that will let users manage payment cards, billing information, shipping addresses and payments to contacts.
The company appears to be preparing the system for more countries beyond the markets where WhatsApp Payments is currently available.
Channel administrators are also getting admin profiles, allowing them to use a separate name and profile photo so followers and other administrators can identify who published an update.
On iOS, WhatsApp is rolling out five new chat theme categories: Featured, Nature, Live, Minimal and Doodle. Live themes include animated backgrounds, while WhatsApp automatically adjusts chat bubble colors to keep text readable.
Finally, WhatsApp is developing a new optional chat filter called “To You.”
It will automatically collect conversations where someone has mentioned the user in a group or replied directly to one of their messages, making those interactions easier to find.
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