Further weight has been added to the WhatsApp fingerprint authentication rumors we heard about earlier this year. In a post from WhatsApp app investigator WABetaInfo on Tuesday, the website said it had now tested the feature, and offered some details on how it works.
WABetaInfo spotted the feature in the WhatsApp version 2.19.83 beta update, although it isn’t actually available to general users just yet. When enabled, via WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy, WhatsApp users must use their fingerprint to unlock the app.
WABetaInfo also said you can choose how long the app will be accessible for before it needs to scan your fingerprint again. This can be immediately, or at one-minute, 10-minute, or 30-minute intervals.
The feature would offer an extra layer of protection for WhatsApp users who worry about easy access to their messages. There’s likely a PIN backup option for this if the fingerprint reader fails.
WABetaInfo noted the feature worked well in its time with it, but we don’t yet know if or when this would roll out to users at large.
In related WhatsApp news, WABetaInfo also recently gave us a look at a potentially upcoming WhatsApp dark mode. Learn more about that at the link.