Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp is rolling out two-step verification for all its users as an optional security feature reported. The new method is being steadily offered to users of WhatsApp’s iOS, Android and Windows 10 Mobile users, according to the report.

To enable the feature, consumers will have to first set a six-digit passcode. The company said that any attempt to verify a phone number on WhatsApp “must be accompanied by the six-digit passcode that you created using this feature”. Users will also be given the option to provide an email address, which will allow WhatsApp to send a link to disable the two-step verification system “in case you ever forget your six-digit passcode”.

The company said that users who enabled the feature would not be permitted to re-verify their account without the passcode if they did not use the app for seven days. “After these seven days your number will be permitted to reverify on WhatsApp without your passcode, but you will lose all pending messages upon reverifying - they will be deleted,” the platform added. Similarly, a user’s account will be deleted if they re-verify it without a passcode 30 days after last using the messaging service.