What is End-to-End encryption on WhatsApp: More than two billion people around the world use WhatsApp as their main way to talk to each other. Also, WhatsApp has a lot of features and encrypts messages from end to end to keep them safe.
For years, WhatsApp has used end-to-end encryption by default to protect users’ privacy when sending and receiving texts. But is it possible to turn off end-to-end security in WhatsApp? Find out more about end-to-end encryption in WhatsApp and get to know it.
What is End-to-End encryption on WhatsApp?
What end-to-end encryption basically does is make sure that only you and the person you choose to message on WhatsApp can read or hear what you send. No one, not even WhatsApp, can see what you say in chats because they are encrypted with your own personal key.
Your messages are encrypted so that no one else can read them, but this protection does not cover your iCloud or Google Drive backups of WhatsApp chats. Since cloud files aren’t encrypted, there’s a chance that someone could get into your chats without your permission.
This problem was fixed by WhatsApp in 2021 when they added cloud backup encryption. A blog post by Meta says that chat files are encrypted with a unique 64-digit cryptographic key that is stored on your phone in a hardware security module (HSM). You can either store the key itself or protect it on your phone with a password so that you can only get to it when you need to. In any case, this setting is off by default.
Is it possible to turn off End-to-end Encryption on WhatsApp?
It’s not possible to turn off encryption in WhatsApp talks. WhatsApp has built-in chat encryption, which is by default turned on. There is no switch in the Settings that you can use to stop end-to-end encryption for WhatsApp talks.
But when it comes to chat files, you can choose whether to encrypt them or not. This helps make sure that you can set up WhatsApp files the way you want them to be. Encrypting your backups can make them safer, but it can also make them less compatible with other platforms, and you could lose access to your backup if you forget your password or lose your phone, which saves the encryption key.
End-to-End Encryption for backups: How to turn it off
Let’s look at how to turn off end-to-end encryption for your WhatsApp chat backups now that you know what the limits are for talks in WhatsApp. To help you through the process, read and follow the steps below.
On iPhone and iPad
- Get on your iPhone and open Uber.
- Find Settings in the bottom right area and tap on it.
- Click on Chats.
- Click on Back Up Chat.
- Choose Backup with End-to-End Encryption.
- Press the “Off” button.
- Type in your password to make sure the backup is safe, then tap “Next.”
- To make sure you want to do this, tap on Turn Off.
- Press “Done.”
If you want to stop end-to-end encryption for your WhatsApp files on your iPhone, follow these steps.
For Android
- On your Android phone, open WhatsApp.
- In the upper right spot, tap the three dots.
- Click on Settings.
- Click on Chats.
- Click on Chat back up.
- Click on Encrypted copy from end to end.
- Press the “Off” button.
- Type in your password to make sure the backup is safe, then tap “Next.”
- To make sure you want to do this, tap on Turn Off.
- Press “Done.”
In WhatsApp for Android, that’s how you can stop end-to-end encryption for your chat files.
How to turn off End-to-End Encryption if you’ve forgotten your backup password
You can easily change your password if you’ve lost it by using your device’s fingerprint or PIN. Make sure you’re logged into your WhatsApp account. By following the steps below, you can change your password and turn off end-to-end protection for your backups.
On iPhone and iPad
- Start up WhatsApp.
- In the bottom right spot, tap Settings.
- Click on Chats.
- Click on Back Up Chat.
- Click on Encrypted Backup from Start to Finish.
- Key in a new password.
- You can also press “Turn Off.”
- Now, press “I forgot my password” and use the device’s PIN or fingerprint security to prove who you are.
- After that, make a new backup password and press Next.
- Once more, type in your password and press “Next.”
- After changing the password, press “Done.”
- Once your password has been reset, if you choose the “Turn Off” way, you will be able to stop encrypted backups. At the bottom of the screen, tap “Off.”
- Press “Done.”
If you want to change your password or stop end-to-end encryption for your iPhone WhatsApp chat, follow these steps.
For Android
- On your Android phone, open WhatsApp.
- In the upper right spot, tap the three dots.
- Click on Settings.
- Click on Chats.
- Click on Chat back up.
- Click on Encrypted copy from end to end.
- Key in a new password.
- You may also tap “Turn off.”
- Now, press “I forgot my password” and use the device’s PIN or fingerprint security to prove who you are.
- After that, make a new backup password and press Next.
- After changing the password, press “Done.”
- Once your password has been reset, if you choose the “Turn Off” way, you will be able to stop encrypted backups. At the bottom of the screen, tap “Off.”
- Press “Done.”
On an Android device, that’s how you can change your password and stop end-to-end encryption for your WhatsApp chat.
Things to remember
You can try either of the two ways above to reset your encrypted backup password if you forget it. You won’t be able to get your backup, though, if you forget your password and can’t get into your WhatsApp talks. WhatsApp can’t help you change your password or get your file back.
You can try your password or key five times in a row before you get it right. You will have to wait before you can try again after five failed attempts.
You can turn off end-to-end encryption in WhatsApp. We hope this post helped you learn more about it. Feel free to use the comments part below to get in touch with us if you have any more questions.
