Facebook-owned WhatsApp has now started rolling the key update that allows users to encrypt and backup WhatsApp chat history on Android and iOS. This information is confirmed by Facebook’s CEO Zuckerberg. Facebook will slowly roll out this feature to ensure a stable and synchronized experience.
When users enable the new feature, they can encrypt the backup before uploading it to Apple iCloud and Google Drive. After encryption, neither WhatsApp nor the cloud service provider can read the content. If the user loses the 64-bit key, the backup cannot be restored.
As early as 2016, WhatsApp users could encrypt messages when sending messages to each other, but it was not allowed until the beginning of this year to encrypt backups. The statement issued on Thursday means that WhatsApp has reached the final step and can provide users with a complete end-to-end information encryption service.
Facebook highlighted that its Chat app WhatsApp is the only global messaging service to provide such a level of security at such a scale. The new feature allowing for end-to-end encryption of backups will be rolling out slowly to those with the latest version of WhatsApp for Android or iOS.
You can now secure your end-to-end encrypted backup with either a password of your choice or a 64-digit encryption key that only you know. Neither WhatsApp nor your backup service provider will be able to read your backups or access the key required to unlock it.
