What you need to know
- WhatsApp announced end-to-end encrypted backups on iCloud last month.
- It has now rolled out the feature for testing in the WhatsApp beta.
- It will let users securely back up their chats on iCloud.
WhatsApp has rolled out end-to-end encryption for backups in its latest iOS beta.
As WABetaInfo reports:
WhatsApp has just submitted a new update through the TestFlight beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.21.200.14.
The new update feature E2E backups for select beta testers, so not everyone using WhatsApp on TestFlight. The feature can be accessed in the Chats section of WhatsApp's settings, where you can now find an end-to-end encrypted backup option. WABetaInfo notes that if you set this up you should switch off your regular WhatsApp backup because this isn't stored using E2E, you can do this in the iCloud backup section of your settings on iOS 15 and beyond.
WhatsApp announced the feature last month, which will let users backup their chats to iCloud securely on devices like the iPhone 13 and Apple's other best iPhones. From that report:
WhatsApp has today announced that it is bringing end-to-end encrypted chat backups to iCloud and Google Drive.Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted stating:We're adding another layer of privacy and security to WhatsApp: an end-to-end encryption option for the backups people choose to store in Google Drive or iCloud. WhatsApp is the first global messaging service at this scale to offer end-to-end encrypted messaging and backups, and getting there was a really hard technical challenge that required an entirely new framework for key storage and cloud storage across operating systems.It means users will now have the option to end-to-end encrypt backups of their chats in the cloud, patching what was a major loophole in the otherwise secure platform that is WhatsApp.
The backups are secured with a 64-digit encryption key that can be stored offline or in a password manager. Or they can use a password that backs up their encryption key in a vault developed by WhatsApp.
