PASSWORDLESS SIGN-ON

The need to remember lengthy, complicated passwords to sign into your accounts could soon be a thing of the past thanks to passkeys: a new login technology that replaces passwords with authentication mechanisms built into your own devices.

That means you can use Face ID on your iPhone, Windows Hello on your PC, or the fingerprint sensor on your Android phone to authorize access to your websites, apps, and services providing they support passkey sign-on.

Passkeys are built on WebAuthn (or Web Authentication) tech and stored directly on your device. They are supported by companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft because they’re more secure than passwords or PINs which can be stolen.

Password managers can help backup and sync passkeys across all your devices.It’s expected that passkeys will eventually replace passwords entirely, though it’s going to take some time. Microsoft’s incoming Windows 11 update will introduce public support for passkeys a passwordless login technology that instead uses your face, fingerprint, or device PIN to sign into accounts.

The latest Windows 11 update will allow users to create, manage, and store passkeys, and use them to access supported websites and services using their device’s own authentication systems.