How to Enable End-to-End Encrypted Chat Backups on WhatsApp – Guide
WhatsApp has been offering end-to-end encrypted chats for some time now. However, the chat backup feature on the platform had a major security flaw that allowed third parties to view conversations between individuals. To solve this problem, WhatsApp recently introduced end-to-end encryption for cloud backups, which further secures iCloud and Google Drive backups to prevent unauthorized access to chat backups.
WhatsApp backups are a vital part of your communication and data security. However, unlike end-to-end encryption, encrypted backups are not enabled by default. To add an extra layer of security to your WhatsApp backups, you need to enable it manually. Here is an article that explains the rationale behind securing WhatsApp backups with encryption and details the steps to enable end-to-end encryption for WhatsApp backups on Android and iOS.
WhatsApp is introducing end-to-end encrypted chat backups to the platform in order to protect users’ data. While end-to-end encryption (E2EE) by definition refers to encrypting data in transit between devices (usually from one client device to another), it does not apply to stored data. This will help protect users’ data from third parties, who may be able to access conversations between users if they have access to the unencrypted backups.
WhatsApp’s end-to-end encrypted WhatsApp backup is achieved by generating a unique encryption key to encrypt your chat backup on the device, while uploading the encrypted backup to cloud storage (Google Drive or iCloud). After that, you will have two options to secure the encryption key for the backup. One option is to go back up the key manually, and the other is to protect it with a user password. In the first option, if you want to recover your WhatsApp backup, you will need to manually enter the 64-digit key to decrypt and access your backup.
How to enable end-to-end encrypted chat backups in WhatsApp
In the Settings section, you will find a section called “WhatsApp.” In this section, you can change the settings for WhatsApp.
Tap Chat and go to Chat Backup.
After you tap Continue, you will need to create a password or encryption key.
WhatsApp is preparing an end-to-end encrypted backup for you. If you’re not connected to a power source, you may need to connect to one in order to complete the backup.
Final note
How to Enable End-to-End Encrypted Chat Backups on WhatsApp If you are a WhatsApp user and want to keep your chats encrypted, then you need to follow these simple steps. First, open up the app and sign in. Then, go to the Settings section and select the Security tab. Under this heading, you will find a list of options. You can choose to encrypt all your chats or just some of them. If you want to encrypt all your chats, then select this option. Next, under the Encryption type section, you will find two options: symmetric key and public key. If you choose symmetric key encryption, then WhatsApp will use the same key for both your chat sessions and it will be difficult for anyone else to decrypt them. If you choose public key encryption, then WhatsApp will use a different key for each chat session and it will be easier for anyone else to decrypt them. Finally, under the Authentication type section, you can choose either one of two methods: one-time password or two-factor authentication. If you choose one-time password authentication, then WhatsApp will require you to enter a code before each chat session begins. If you choose two-factor authentication (2FA), then WhatsApp will require both sides (you and your friend) to sign in with different identities before beginning a chat. Finally, under the Security settings tab, make sure that both encryption types are set as default and click on OK to finish setting up your security settings on WhatsApp!
