Understanding iMessage’s Security Feature
Apple has a lesser-known security feature that many users might not be aware of. This feature is often referred to as a hidden ‘secret code’ and serves as a way to determine if someone is eavesdropping on private conversations. Every iMessage chat generates a unique security code, which acts like a digital fingerprint. If both you and your contact see the same code, it means your messages are secure and fully encrypted.
However, if the codes don’t match, it could indicate that your texts are being intercepted. On the other hand, it might also mean that your contact recently changed phones or reinstalled the app. To make this verification process easier, Apple introduced Contact Key Verification, which can be found under Settings and Apple ID. This feature displays a verification code that you and your iMessage contacts can compare.
If the codes align, you can tap “Mark As Verified,” which saves the code to that person’s contact card. According to Apple, when you manually verify a contact, iMessage Contact Key Verification confirms that the code you have saved matches the one provided by the iMessage servers for that contact. It also notifies you if the verification code changes.
Enabling Contact Key Verification
To turn on this feature, open Settings, tap your name, scroll down to Contact Key Verification, switch on Verification in iMessage, and then tap Continue. When using iMessage, your messages are end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that only you and the person you’re messaging with can read them. Not even Apple can access these messages while they’re in transit between devices.
Apple emphasizes that iMessage Contact Key Verification adds an extra layer of protection to your conversations. It helps ensure that you’re messaging only with the people you intend to. For additional assurance, you can manually verify contacts. To do this, you need to have that person saved in your Contacts.
Manually Verifying Contacts
You can verify a contact directly on your device by going to Conversation Details, where both you and the other person generate a code simultaneously to share and compare. Another option is to use a Public Verification Code, which you can share so that the people you’re messaging can verify you. Apple notes that this code does not contain any private information, making it safe to post on social media or another account where your contacts can find it.
To mark a contact as verified, you can copy and paste their Public Verification Code into their Contact Card. Start by opening the iMessage conversation and tapping the contact’s name, or selecting them from the Contacts app. Then tap Info and choose Edit. In the ‘verification code’ field, type or paste the Public Verification Code your contact shared.
If you don’t see this field, tap the Add (+) button, choose More Fields, and select ‘verification code.’ If the code matches and is verified by iMessage Contact Key Verification, a checkmark will appear on their Contact Card and next to their name in iMessage conversations. If it doesn’t match or isn’t verified, no checkmark will appear.
Apple recommends that users double-check the code or confirm they are messaging the correct person before continuing. This feature provides an essential layer of security for those who value their privacy and want to ensure their messages remain confidential.
