How to use WebOTP API in Google Chrome to receive OTPs from smartphone to PC

Google Chrome is a widely used web browser on both PC and mobile. The best feature of this browser is its cross-platform capabilities. Chrome 93 is the company’s latest update. Now you can receive OTP from your Smartphone directly onto your system. It can be very helpful for things like accepting payment without the hassle of you picking your phone again and again. The WebOTP API gives the website the ability to programmatically obtain the OTP directly from your verified smartphone and fill it for you. Here is how you can use the demo to see how it works.

Things required

1. A system is either a laptop or a PC running on either Windows, macOS or ChromeOS.
2. An Android phone with Google Play Services version 20.30.12 or higher.
3. Another smartphone with running SMS functionality for the verification and test process.
4. Chrome 93 or later, both on desktop or laptop and mobile. (Chrome 93 was released today and may not be directly available to all the devices, check for updates)
5. Both the smartphone and system should be signed to Google Chrome with the same Google account.
6. Make sure Google Chrome 93 is the default browser.

Read Also: What is WhatsApp OTP Scam and How you can protect yourself

How to use the demo

1. Head to https://web-otp-demo.glitch.me/ on desktop. Click the Verify button after reading the instruction on the screen.
2. Send the text msg mentioned on the screen exactly from a second phone to an android device.

3. After the SMS is delivered to the android device there will be a popup on-screen on your desktop asking you to verify your phone number. Press Submit to approve.

4. There will be an OTP generated and sent to you on your Android phone which will be automatically fetched by your desktop version of Google Chrome 93.

It’s good to see that Google constantly tries to make the already good browser better with its quality updates. This feature will be implemented by a lot of websites to make the process of OTP sharing easy. It will also be a big step on security as the SMS has a specific format and it’s bound to the origin, so it mitigates the risk of phishing websites stealing the OTP and will make two-factor authentication a hassle-free process.

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