Google is enhancing the security of its Messages app by rolling out a QR code-based key verification system, aimed at making it easier to confirm the identity of the person you’re messaging. Unlike the old method, which relied on an intimidating 80-digit code, this new approach lets users scan each other’s QR codes to verify encryption keys quickly and safely.
Once the feature reaches your device, you can open a conversation, tap the contact’s name, and access the Details page. There, the “Verify encryption” option now brings up a Security & Privacy sheet that guides you through the verification process. After scanning each other’s codes, users can check the verified keys’ status in the “Connected apps” section of the Google Contacts app once full integration is live.
For those who prefer the traditional approach, the 80-digit code is still accessible via “Compare verification codes.” Currently, this feature is available in the Google Messages beta, with a planned rollout in 2025 for all Android devices running version 9 or newer. Google also plans to extend this unified public key verification system to third-party apps in the future.
By simplifying the verification process, Google hopes users will have a faster, easier, and more secure way to confirm their contacts, eliminating the hassle of manually comparing long strings of numbers.
