WhatsApp’s two-step verification feature has been under testing for a while now.
WhatsApp is rolling out the two-step verification feature to all users on Android, Windows and iPhones now. The company has been testing the feature for months now, and is finally rolling it out to all its users. This means that installing the app on any of your devices will now be more secure. WhatsApp will ask for a six-digit passcode that they create themselves, when registering on WhatsApp. You can enable the feature from WhatsApp’s Settings menu, by going into Account and then enabling the Two-Step verification feature.
There will also be an option to input an email address that’ll be used for recovering the passcode if you ever forget it. “This email address will allow WhatsApp to send you a link via email to disable two-step verification in case you ever forget your six-digit passcode, and also to help safeguard your account,” says WhatsApp’s FAQ page. However, WhatsApp doesn’t actually verify the email address, which is a questionable choice.
That said, given the fact that your phone number will be temporarily locked out of the app if you forget the passcode, it is important to use an email address that you use regularly. This is applicable for those who use the two-step verification feature. You will not be allowed to re-verify your phone number on WhatsApp for seven days if the passcode is forgotten.