![WhatsApp is enhancing user security and accessibility with a new update that allows iOS users to link their email addresses to their accounts.](https://img.etimg.com/thumb/msid-105408122,width-650,height-488,imgsize-977684,resizemode-75/whatsapp-is-enhancing-user-security-and-accessibility-with-a-new-update-that-allows-ios-users-to-link-their-email-addresses-to-their-accounts-.jpg)
This update, named version 23.24.70, is designed to provide an additional method of access beyond the traditional phone number login. The move is seen as a response to challenges faced by users in areas with poor cellular network coverage.
Users can now link their email addresses to receive verification codes, a helpful alternative when facing difficulties in receiving SMS codes due to network issues or technical glitches.
It's important to note that these email addresses will remain private, unseen by contacts, and serve solely as a means for WhatsApp to send authentication codes. This feature is particularly valuable for those in low cellular network zones or frequent travellers.
How To Link & Verify Email Address
To activate this feature, users can navigate to 'Settings,' then 'Account,' and finally 'Email Address' on the Your Profile page. The app prompts users with a message stating, "Email helps you access your account. It isn't visible to others." Once the email address is entered, a verification code is sent for confirmation.Despite the email verification feature providing an additional layer of security, WhatsApp states that phone number verification remains the primary method. This new feature is currently available to beta testers on Android, with a broader rollout expected for Android users in the coming days.
The update also includes a sneak peek into WhatsApp's experimentation with an AI chatbot, displayed as an icon above the New Chat icon. This chatbot aims to provide users with direct access to Meta AI from within the chat window, potentially revolutionizing user interactions.
Additionally, WhatsApp has unveiled an audio chat feature that promises to make group messaging less disruptive, allowing real-time conversations in group chats. This feature aligns with WhatsApp's ongoing efforts to cater to its extensive user base of over 2.7 billion globally.
While the email verification feature is currently exclusive to iOS users, a phased rollout is in progress, and it's anticipated to reach Android users soon.
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Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.