WhatsApp is planning a change that will only send a notification for security code changes when the user re-registers their account on a new phone.
A security code is a unique code for end-to-end encrypted chats between two users that is used to verify that the calls and the messages that they send to that chat are end-to-end encrypted.
This code can be found in the contact info screen, both as a QR code and a 60-digit number.
As WhatsApp explains in an FAQ, “These codes are unique to each chat and can be compared between people in each chat to verify that the messages you send to the chat are end-to-end encrypted.”
At times, the security codes used in end-to-end encryption might change. This can happen when either the user or their contact reinstall WhatsApp or change phones.
Users receive notifications when security codes change. They can switch on the notification from Security section within the account in WhatsApp Settings.
It is now planning to streamline security code change notifications. This comes as many users received security code change notifications even without changing phones.
Multi-device support
WhatsApp, in a reply to a user query, had clarified that the notifications were due to a server-side update related to its rollout of multi-device capability, as reported by WABetaInfo.
“We know users are seeing security code changes. This is expected during the early rollout stages of our new multi-device capability. This allows you to use WhatsApp on up to four linked devices without requiring your phone to be connected,” WhatsApp tweeted from its official account.
The multi-device capability allows users to use the service on multiple devices without an Internet connection on their main phone. Users can link up to four devices.
It has begun the roll out for multi-device support on desktop and web for beta testers.
Nitin Gupta, VP and Head of Engineering at WhatsApp, in a tweet further clarified that the company is planning a change to send security code change notifications only when a user re-registers their account (via WABetaInfo.)
“We are early in the MD rollout and pushed more broadly than we intended today We do intend to make it seamless. Our upcoming change will only send security code notifs when a user re-registers their whole account just like today,” Gupta tweeted.
With this, users will not receive notifications when people add/remove linked devices with multi-device.
