WhatsApp has announced a new set of security features designed to give its more than three billion users stronger protection against hackers and online fraud, moving away from its long-standing reliance on a simple six-digit PIN.
Stronger Two-Step Verification
For years, WhatsApp’s two-step verification relied solely on a six-digit numeric PIN. Under the new update, users will be able to replace that PIN with a stronger password combining letters, numbers, and special characters — closing a gap that made accounts using weak or predictable codes vulnerable to attack.
WhatsApp is also expanding its passkey system, which already allows more than one billion users to log in using fingerprint, Face ID, or their phone’s screen lock instead of remembering a code. Under the update, users with both Android and iPhone devices can now register more than one passkey to a single account. The option can be set up by going to Settings, then Account, then Passkeys.
More Context on Unknown Calls
Android users will also receive additional information when they get calls from numbers not saved in their contacts. WhatsApp will now show whether the number is calling from another country and whether the caller shares any common groups with the recipient, giving users more context before deciding whether to pick up.
The company says the feature is a direct response to scam tactics that rely on pressuring victims into making snap decisions, and that even small pieces of context can help users pause and reconsider before answering suspicious calls.
Part of a Broader Privacy Push
WhatsApp framed the update as a response to rising phishing and social engineering attacks, in which scammers increasingly target users directly rather than attempting to breach the app’s encryption itself. The company reiterated that all WhatsApp chats remain end-to-end encrypted by default.
The announcement builds on several earlier privacy features:
- June 2026: WhatsApp introduced usernames, letting people contact each other without exchanging phone numbers.
- 2023: The app rolled out Silence Unknown Callers, which mutes calls from unrecognized or suspected spam numbers without ringing the phone (though the calls still appear in the call log), alongside a Privacy Checkup tool that walks users through recommended privacy settings for messages, calls, and personal information.
WhatsApp said protecting private communication remains a core priority as it continues expanding tools meant to keep users safe from fraud and unauthorized account access.
