encrypt WhatsApp backups

From the first quarter of 2021, we knew that WhatsApp would soon have encrypted backups to avoid peepers. This feature arrived on iOS first (in May 2021), but it is already a reality on Android as well.

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With it, you will be able to create a personalized key so that nobody can see your backed-up WhatsApp chats, so it is something that you will surely want to know. You do not know how? We teach you how to encrypt your backup on WhatsApp.

How encrypted WhatsApp backups work

How encrypted WhatsApp backups work

Although WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, and cannot be read or intercepted by anyone, this is not the case with backups. Until now, the backups that WhatsApp stored on your mobile or in Drive were vulnerable and anyone could easily open them.

This was a pending issue to be resolved, but the company finally did so by enabling encryption for backupsWhat does it consist of? Simple, the application will take your backups, encrypt them before saving them and you will only be able to access them if you have the decryption key.

WhatsApp has never said what type of encryption this encryption system uses, although it allows you to use custom keys or generate ultra-secure 64-character keys to block access to the backed-up files.

What happens if you lose your password? Easy, you cannot restore the backup and you will have to give it up for loss because neither you nor anyone else will be able to decrypt it to see it. How can you activate this functionality? Read on after the jump.

So you can activate encryption for your WhatsApp backups

At the time of writing this note, backup encryption was not yet available in the stable version of WhatsApp. Thus, the process that we will show you is done through the beta 2.21.21.3 of the application, but it will be the same when it reaches the general public. In addition, it is a functionality that is not activated by default, but you must enable it manually. What should you do? This:

  1. Download the latest beta of WhatsApp (as of 2.21.21.3).
  2. Install the beta APK on your mobile.
    • Note: at the time of writing this article, backup encryption was not available to all users, but WhatsApp was gradually enabling it from its server.
  3. Open the WhatsApp options from the icon with the three dots.
  4. Select “Settings” to go to settings.
  5. Go to the “Chats” submenu and enter “Backup”.
  6. Turn on “End-to-end backup”.
  7. Create a password. You can use your own or a 64-digit encryption key that you will have to write down.
  8. Go ahead and repeat the password you just created to enable encryption.
  9. Press “Create” to encrypt your backup.

Once this is done, all your local backups and Google Drive will be encrypted. It is a very good security feature, although remember that you must memorize or save your password well if you do not want to lose your photos, videos, messages, and voice notes. Have you already tried it?