- WhatsApp’s new update will let users create end-to-end backups
WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption and its general emphasis on security is one of the USPs of the app. However, earlier this year, WhatsApp’s integration with Google Drive or iCloud recently came under the crosshair as the backups that the instant messaging tool would take and store on these cloud-based platforms did not enjoy the same encryption protection that the chats had.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago and WhatsApp announced that it would be bringing end-to-end encrypted backups to its users. That feature finally goes live today and will soon be rolled out to both iOS and Android devices with a new update. WhatsApp is calling the move “the final step in providing a full end-to-end encrypted messaging experience”.
”With end-to-end encrypted backups, no other messaging service at WhatsApp’s scale will provide this level of security for people’s messages – from sending and transit, to receiving and storing in the cloud,” the company said in a post.
“For years we’ve offered people the ability to backup their WhatsApp chats so that they can restore their WhatsApp in case they lose their phone or switch phones. We are now rolling out an option for iOS and Android users to create an end-to-end encrypted backup as an additional layer of security for those who want it.
“If someone chooses to backup their chat history with end-to-end encryption, it will be accessible only to them, and no one will be able to unlock their backup, not even WhatsApp. Neither WhatsApp nor the backup service provider (like Apple) will be able to access their end-to-end encryption key or their end-to-end encrypted backup,” WhatsApp adds.
“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,” the company added.
How to create an end-to-end encrypted backup?
To create an end-to-end encrypted backup, users will first need to make sure they are on the latest version of WhatsApp. To create a backup, navigate to Settings>Chats>Chat Backups>End-to-End Encrypted Backup, and then follow the prompts to create one.