WeChat is introducing support for passkeys to its iOS app, allowing users outside of China to log in to the country's dominant messaging platform using Face ID , Touch ID, or their device's passcode instead of traditional passwords.
Apple introduced passkeys in iOS 16 to provide users with a more secure and convenient method of authentication than entering a password. Passkeys offer enhanced security by reducing common risks associated with traditional passwords, such as phishing attacks and credential theft .
Read more: Android 14: Will bring passkeys support to Dashlane and other apps
As authentication occurs directly on the user's device using biometric data or their device password, there are no passwords that can be compromised or intercepted.
To set up a passkey, WeChat users need an iPhone or iPad running iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 or later with iCloud Keychain and two-factor authentication enabled for their Apple account. Users can enable the feature through WeChat’s Account & Security, according to a new WeChat support document.
See also: AWS: Introduces passkeys and makes MFA mandatory for root users
Tencent-owned WeChat joins a growing list of major platforms that have adopted the passkey technology, including Google, PayPal, Microsoft and TikTok. On WeChat, the feature is currently limited to users outside of China, and there is no word on whether or when it might be rolled out to the domestic version of the app in China.
Source: macrumors
