Ahead of World Password Day, Google has announced support for passkeys on Google Accounts. For those unaware, passkeys is a more secure way to log in to your accounts, as it no longer requires a password, as the new password is your face or finger.
Passkeys is a project by the FIDO Alliance, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and many others. With Google rolling out passkeys support for its accounts, this is one of the greatest pushes of this technology since Apple announced this feature would be available during the iOS 16 cycle.
“Passkeys are a new way to sign in to apps and websites. They’re both easier to use and more secure than passwords, so users no longer need to rely on the names of pets, birthdays, or the infamous ‘password123.’ Instead, passkeys let users sign in to apps and sites the same way they unlock their devices: with a fingerprint, a face scan, or a screen lock PIN. And, unlike passwords, passkeys are resistant to online attacks like phishing, making them more secure than things like SMS one-time codes,” says Google in a press release.
Currently, Google will continue supporting passwords and two-factor authentication, but it aims to make passkeys the main way users connect to their Google Accounts. “So maybe, by next year’s World Password Day, you won’t even need to use your password, much less remember it,” says the company.
To start using passkeys on your Google Account, click here, authenticate your account with your password, and then add your fingerprint or face to start using this passwordless feature. For Google Workspace accounts, administrators will soon have the option to enable passkeys for their end-users during sign-in.
I personally did that with my Gmail accounts, and not only was it super easy, but it also made me thrilled about a future where I don’t need to worry about creating strong passwords. This list of commonly used weak passwords is a reminder of the dangers that lurk around every corner of the web. Cheers to Google, and I hope Apple and other platforms start adopting passkeys as soon as possible.
