WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption is a safety feature that protects messages and chats from third-party intruders such as hackers. This encryption also extends to chat backups stored in Google Drive or iCloud on Android mobile phones and iPhones. However, the end-to-end encryption feature on WhatsApp chat can only be turned on or off manually. Here’s a quick guide on how to do it.
How to Enable or Disable WhatsApp Chat End-to-End Encrypted Backup on Android
- Open WhatsApp on your Android phone.
- Select the ‘3-dots’ icon at the top right corner.
- From the options, select ‘Settings.’
- Select ‘Chats’.
- Select ‘Chat backup’.
- Tap on the bottom-most option, ‘End-to-end encrypted backup.’
- Tap the ‘Turn on’ button on the next screen.
- Now, it’ll prompt you to add a password or a 64-bit encryption key. Select one per your preference.
- Enter the password or key and tap ‘Create.’ The new backup will replace the existing WhatsApp backup on your Google Drive.
To disable End-to-end encrypted WhatsApp backups on Android, follow the same process and select ‘Turn off’ at the last step. When asked, enter the key or password.
How to Turn ON or Turn Off WhatsApp Chat End-to-end Encrypted Backup on iPhone
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone.
- Select ‘Settings’ from the bottom tap.
- Select ‘Chats’.
- Select ‘Chat backup’.
- Tap on the bottom-most option called ‘End-to-end encrypted backup’.
- Tap ‘Turn on’ on the next screen.
- Now, it’ll prompt you to add a password or a 64-bit encryption key. Select one per your preference.
- Enter the password or key and tap ‘Create’. Upon doing that, the new backup will replace the existing WhatsApp backup on your iCloud storage.
To disable End-to-end encrypted WhatsApp backups on iPhone, follow the same process and select ‘Turn off’ at the last step. When asked, enter the key or password.
It’s important to note that end-to-end encrypted backups protect the WhatsApp backups stored in Google Drive and iCloud storage using a password or a 64-digit encryption key. Backups can include chat messages and media. Once the backups are password protected, no third-party entity or service can access the backup’s content as the information is encrypted.
End-to-end encryption on WhatsApp messages adds a layer of security to your chats by locking the messages you send. These messages can only be unlocked when received on the recipient’s end using a special key, which happens seamlessly in the background. Unlike backups, end-to-end encryption on messages is enabled by default.