If you use Microsoft,Vernost aka Fidelity (2019) you will soon be required to ditch your passwords and create a passkey. This is part of a strategy shift at Microsoft to get rid of passwords altogether — and the deadline is quickly approaching.
Microsoft has laid out its plans on its website. As of June — aka right now — users are no longer able to add passwords to Microsoft Authenticator. In July, you will no longer be able to use autofill, which is the primary utility of a password manager. Come Aug. 1, you'll no longer be able to access your stored passwords at all. Instead, you'll need to set up a passkey.
So...what is a passkey? It's effectively a safer, more secure way of logging in that effectively rolls a password and two-factor authentication into one step. You effectively create a credential that is not stored on a server — this could include biometric data like facial recognition/thumbprint or a PIN — unlike a password. Microsoft believes passkeys will be much more difficult for hackers to access and more resistant to phishing.
"It's the difference between using a codeword to open a door and using a physical key that only you have," Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Werth explained. "Passkeys are only stored on your devices, not a Microsoft server, and they also eliminate the kind of user errors that result in weak passwords. Plus, password managers are becoming a really popular target for hackers, so Microsoft is definitely onto something."
As we noted in our guide to the top cybersecurity breaches of 2025, popular password managers are increasingly under threat.
SEE ALSO: A review of 19 billion passwords reveals people are still bad at themIf you want to keep using passwords stored with Microsoft, you'll have to use Microsoft Edge and enable password autofill or export your passwords. However, Microsoft wants to get rid of passwords for all its various users and products, including Copilot and Xbox. As part of this, new Microsoft accounts are password-less by default.
Microsoft has said it will automatically prompt users to set up a passkey in Authenticator. So, if you use Microsoft Authenticator to store passwords, you should have been — or will soon be — urged to set up a Microsoft passkey. Microsoft will also automatically detect the best method for your passkey.
You can also add new passkeys in the Authenticator app by clicking "set up a passkey." After that, you simply log in and then set up the passkey.
And if you want to set up a passkey for your Microsoft account, sign in and look for the "Advanced Security Options" tab. From there, you'll be able to select between "Face, Fingerprint, PIN, or Security Key." From there, simply follow the simple instructions.
Topics Cybersecurity Microsoft
Shad Season by Sadie SteinGeorge Seferis, Born on this Day in 1900How to zoom out on an Apple Watch3 tips for using Google Maps more effectively, according to GoogleThe Little Bookroom by Sadie SteinDavid Mamet on His Closest Friend, Shel SilversteinThomas Ken’s “Old Hundredth” by Sadie SteinEmancipation Carbonation by Dan PiepenbringThe Dyson Supersonic just got a new attachment for flyawaysShad Season by Sadie SteinMacDonald Played Football for My Cousin’s High School Team by David MametTranslating Pushkin Hills: An Interview with Katherine Dovlatov by Valerie StiversThe young woman teaching kids about space onlineRead an Excerpt from Josep Pla’s The Gray NotebookShad Season by Sadie SteinMicromégas by Sadie SteinThe best movies on Shudder that you can't stream anywhere elseElon Musk's X/Twitter is letting paying users hide their blue ticksWhat We’re Loving: The Backwoods Bull, the Ballet, the Boot by The Paris ReviewTurn out the Lights and Watch Joško Marušić’s Fisheye New scam involves fake BianLian ransomware notes Best robot vacuum deal: Save $300 on the roborock Qrevo Edge How to get Peacock Premium for free: Samsung Galaxy Wordle today: The answer and hints for March 6, 2025 Best Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra deal: Save $160 at Best Buy Best Dyson deal: Save $100 on the Dyson V15 Best iPad accessory deal: Save $82 on Apple Magic Keyboard NYT Connections hints and answers for March 6: Tips to solve 'Connections' #634. Best LG TV deal: Save $200 on the 55 Best outdoor grill deal: Save $170 on the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker Best Prime Video deal: Buy two action movies, get a $5 credit Best iPad deal: Get the 10th Lego free Steering Wheel: How to get free Lego SXSW movies (and shows) you need to know about Baked by Melissa free cupcakes: How to get free cupcakes on March 7 Why is JD Vance's big baby face all over the internet? Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan 2025 livestream: Watch Champions League for free NYT Strands hints, answers for March 7 An AI program helps the formerly incarcerated turn to a life of code Herediano vs. LA Galaxy 2025 livestream: Watch Concacaf Champions Cup for free
0.8663s , 10136.6484375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Vernost aka Fidelity (2019)】,Co-creation Information Network