Microsoft makes passwords a factor of the pre...

Microsoft
has been pushing its

passwordless Windows logins
for the previous a number of years, even permitting customers who add passkeys to their accounts the flexibility to delete their passwords now. In recognition of

World Password Day
, Microsoft has taken its next bold step in account security and safety.

In a latest blog post, Microsoft introduced that new accounts might be “passwordless by default,” that means that customers will as a substitute be prompted to set up a passkey for his or her new account moderately than a password. This implies new Microsoft accounts won’t ever must have a password, if the consumer so chooses.

“Model new Microsoft accounts will now be ‘passwordless by default.’ New customers may have a number of passwordless choices for signing into their account they usually’ll by no means must enroll a password,” Microsoft stated. “Current customers can go to their account settings to delete their password.”

Associated

5 useful Windows 11 features I always enable first on a new PC

Home windows 11 has many various settings, however these are those I all the time allow first to boost my expertise.

What’s a passkey?

You need to use biometrics to entry your account as a substitute of a password

Microsoft / Pocket-lint

Passkeys make it more durable for dangerous actors to steal your account’s password, because the password would not exist within the first place to steal. Passkeys let customers check in to their Microsoft account utilizing their face, fingerprint, or PIN on their private machine as a substitute of a daily outdated password. Passkeys launched for all client Microsoft accounts final yr.

To arrange a passkey on your Microsoft account, go to Account Settings > Safety > Add a brand new strategy to check in or confirm. You can even obtain the Microsoft Autheticator app in your cellular machine to arrange a passkey from there, in addition to push notifications to check in to your Microsoft account as a substitute of a password.

“Though passwords have been round for hundreds of years, we hope their reign over our on-line world is ending,” Microsoft stated, whereas boldly proclaiming World Password Day as “World Passkey Day” as a substitute. Whereas it might be awhile earlier than passwords in every single place are gone for good, this can be a main transfer by a tech firm to get rid of passwords altogether. In all equity, your password cannot get stolen if it would not exist within the first place.

If you wish to study password safety, and the perfect methods to maintain your gadgets and accounts safe on-line, take a look at all of Pocket-lint’s World Password Week stories.

Associated

Welcome to World Password Week 2025: learn how to better secure your accounts

All through the subsequent few days, you may hear find out how Pocket-lint’s consultants hold their accounts safe.