In iOS 17.2 and later, Apple includes a Contact Key Verification feature that aims to enhance your messaging security on an iPhone. This article explains why you might want to use the feature and includes practical steps to enable it on your device.

Apple advanced security iMessage Contact Key Verification screen Feature

Why Use Contact Key Verification?

Contact Key Verification was designed by Apple to ensure that iMessage conversations are more secure and that the person you are communicating with is genuinely who they claim to be. This method of verification is especially useful for ensuring the integrity of communications in situations where confidentiality is crucial.

In such scenarios, Contact Key Verification introduces the following benefits:

  • Enhanced Security: Provides an extra layer of protection against sophisticated cyber threats, ensuring you're only messaging those you intend to.
  • Automatic Verification Alerts: Offers automatic alerts and the ability to compare unique codes in real-time to verify identities in the Messages app.
  • Public Verification Code: Allows you to share a Public Verification Code on social media or save others' codes, enhancing trust in your communications.

Enable Contact Key Verification

Before attempting to use Contact Key Verification, make sure your devices are using iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, watchOS 9.2, and macOS 14.2, or later, and are passcode or password protected.

You will also need to be signed into iCloud and iMessage with the same Apple ID and you have two-factor authentication turned on for your ‌Apple ID‌. Lastly, anyone you are trying to verify will need to be in your contacts.

  1. Open the Settings app on your ‌iPhone‌.
  2. Tap on your ‌Apple ID‌ located near the top.
  3. Scroll down to locate and select the Contact Key Verification option.
  4. Toggle the switch next to Verification in iMessage to activate Contact Key Verification.

settings

After following these steps, you'll encounter a splash screen that explains more about the feature. You might also need to update other devices linked to your ‌Apple ID‌. If you have a device that can't be updated, you need to sign out of iMessage on that device before you can turn on this feature.

Verifying Your Own Identity for Others

  1. In Settings, go to your ‌Apple ID‌ and select Contact Key Verification. Here, you'll find an option to Show Public Verification Code.
  2. Tap Copy Verification Code to copy your unique code.

settings

You can now share this code directly with individuals or share it publicly online. This allows others to verify that they are indeed communicating with you, and not someone else masquerading as you.

Verifying the Identity of Others

  1. Open a conversation in Messages, tap the person's name at the top, and then select Verify Contact near the bottom of the menu.
  2. Both you and the other person will see a six-digit code generated on your devices. Compare these codes to ensure they match.
  3. If the codes match, select Mark as Verified, then tap Update. This will associate the verification code with the person's contact card, and a checkmark will appear next to their name in Messages.

messages

If you have iMessage Contact Key Verification turned on but your contact doesn't, you'll see their name and "Verification Off." To use iMessage Contact Key Verification, ask them to turn it on. If you've already verified the contact, you'll see a checkmark by the contact's name. You'll also see a checkmark by their name at the top of the Messages thread.

Additional Steps for Public Verification Codes

For a higher level of security, you and your contacts can generate a verification code in Messages, then save each other's Public Verification Codes in Contacts. This is useful when you want to verify each other simultaneously, or if the Public Verification Code you received doesn't match the one your contact shares with you.

  1. At the top of the iMessage conversation, select their name. You can also select a contact from the Contacts app.
  2. Select Info, then select Edit.
  3. In the "verification code" field, type or paste the Public Verification Code that your contact shared. If you don't see the "verification code" field, you might have to select the Add (+) button, select More Fields, then select "verification code."

If their Public Verification Code matches and is verified by iMessage Contact Key Verification, a checkmark will show in their Contact Card and next to their name in iMessage conversations.

If their Public Verification Code doesn't match the code stored on Apple servers or isn't verified, a checkmark won't show. Before you continue messaging, you might want to check that you entered the code correctly or make sure that you're messaging the right person.

If You Receive a Contact Key Verification Alert

If you receive an alert from iMessage Contact Key Verification, this indicates a need to confirm the identity of the person you're communicating with. This could be due to several reasons, such as a change in their device or security settings.

To address the alert, pause your conversation to securely verify the contact, either through a direct comparison of verification codes or another trusted method. It's crucial to take these alerts seriously, as they are designed to protect the integrity of your communications. For detailed instructions and responses to specific alert types, refer to Apple's Support page.

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. With...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...