A new feature has been introduced by Microsoft in honor of World Password Day. Passkeys support is now available for all consumer accounts on Microsoft.
Passkeys support was originally launched by Microsoft last year in Windows 11, initially for select services like Gmail. Now, all consumer accounts, especially for home users, can utilize Passkeys for passwordless access to Microsoft accounts. Interestingly, it took Microsoft one year to include support for its own services.
Passkeys enable logging into Microsoft apps and websites on both desktop and mobile browsers. They can also be utilized with Microsoft 365 and Copilot. Passkeys enhance security by safeguarding account credentials through a cryptographic key pair, one securely stored on the device and the other held by the website. This method strengthens security by necessitating both keys for access, rendering Passkeys more resilient to phishing attempts compared to conventional passwords, which are vulnerable to theft, leaks, and hacks.
Instructions to Activate Passkey for Your Microsoft Account
1. Go to the Security page of your Microsoft account.
2. A window will pop up displaying various options.
3. Opt to log in using a passkey with facial or fingerprint recognition, establish a PIN, or employ a security key.
4. Select where to store the passkey from three methods: biometric data, phone for PIN setup, or a security key like YubiKey.
Note: You can also store your Passkey in third-party applications such as Bitwarden Password Manager.
5. Scan the QR code presented using your phone’s camera to securely save the passkey on your device.
6. Once configured, you can use the passkey to log in without entering your password on various browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
If you lose your device, you can utilize your password to log in and disable the passkey. While the mobile versions of Microsoft’s applications currently do not support passkeys, Microsoft intends to introduce this feature to its Android and iOS apps in the upcoming weeks.
Google’s Report on Over One Billion Passkey Uses in Less Than a Year
Google disclosed that Passkeys were employed for over a billion authentications across 400 million Google Accounts within a year. Google is extending passkey support to its Advanced Protection Program (APP) to enhance security for high-risk individuals such as campaign workers, journalists, and human rights activists.
Passkeys are gaining popularity as password management tools like Bitwarden, KeePassXC, 1Password, and Dashlane are also integrating Passkey support. WhatsApp Messenger recently introduced the option for passwordless login in its iOS application after previously introducing it in the Android app last year.
Image Source: Volodymyr Kyrylyuk / Shutterstock
