WhatsApp officially rolls out end-to-end encryption for chat backups

WhatsApp

WhatsApp starts officially rolling out end-to-end encryption for chats backup stored in cloud services for both iOS and Android users.

This feature was in the works for few months and last month the company said that they were officially bringing this feature to all of its users.

WhatsApp also said that at the moment there is no other instant messaging app or social networking platform that is offering end-to-end encryption for backups as well.

Five years back in 2016, a Facebook-owned messaging app started offering end-to-end encryption for chats between users. It means only the recipient and sender see the chats and no other party even WhatsApp can’t see the chats between users. Facebook claims that over 100 billion messages are sent on WhatsApp in a day and all messages are end-to-end encrypted.

Encryption for chat backups will also provide additional security and privacy to the user’s data. However, this feature is optional as users have a choice to avail of it or not. WhatsApp currently relies on Google Drive for chat backups on Android and iCloud for chat backups on iOS. Both these cloud services will get the encryption feature.

According to the company:

“No other global messaging service at this scale provides this level of security for their users’ messages, media, voice messages, video calls, and chat backups.”.

Encryption means no one can get access to the chat backups stored in the cloud, not even Google Drive or iCloud. Only users have the access to all the chat backups if they are encrypted.

Users can protect their backups with a password or a 64-digit encryption key that only they can know. “Neither WhatsApp nor your backup service provider will be able to read your backups or access the key required to unlock it,” said the company in its official blog.

How to enable End-to-End encryption for Chat backups in WhatsApp?

This feature is for all users but will reach them gradually or in phases. Both Android and iOS users can avail themselves of this feature. To get started, first update your app if any update is available as you have to be on the latest version.

This feature is not like the chat encryption feature which is available as a default feature. You have to manually enable it if you want to avail this feature.

Open WhatsApp.

Tap three dots at the top right corner and choose Settings.

In settings choose Chats, then chat backups and tap on End-to-end Encrypted Backups.

A pop-up message will appear on your screen asking to set the password for the encryption.

Once set, tap on done.

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