WhatsApp for Android to receive fingerprint authentication for security in future update

Damien Wilde | Jan 14 2019 - 5:25 am PT

Whilst many of you will have never used WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned messaging platform is one of the biggest on the planet by some margin. To those of us who use the application daily, the upcoming addition of WhatsApp fingerprint authentication could be a welcome one. I can honestly say that I use nothing else and even all of my iPhone-using friends are the same here in the UK.

Being the global king of messaging applications means that when new features are implemented, they can appease or infuriate vast portions of the user base. The application received end-to-end encryption some time ago, and I personally use two-step verification for added security when switching between devices — which I tend to do regularly.

But now, according to WABetaInfo, we could see even further layers of protection thanks to fingerprint authentication in the latest beta version 2.19.3. How this will work was also uncovered, with fingerprint enrolling appearing in the Privacy section of the application.

WhatsApp beta for Android 2.19.3: what's new?
WhatsApp is finally working to implement the Authentication feature to protect the app using your Fingerprint, under development!
Info about other features are available in the article.https://t.co/yO6R6pOlsV

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) January 8, 2019

From here you will be able to add a PIN or password to secure WhatsApp too or, as we mention, enroll your fingerprint for application locking and unlocking. Anyone running a device with Android Marshmallow or higher will be able do so so long as their device supports fingerprint unlocks. Anyone with an older device will be able to add a passcode instead.

There is very little word on when this feature is heading to the general public, as it still is technically in Alpha. Although we do believe it may head to devices in the not too distant future. Either way, this is a much more welcome addition than that of sticker packs and Gif support.