Passwords can be hard to remember, so Google has rolled out a simpler and safer solution for its users – passkeys.
Google account holders will now be able to login to apps the same way they login to their devices by using a fingerprint, face scan or a screen lock PIN, which the company touts is more secure,and resistant to online attacks like phishing and one-time SMS codes.
The company’s product managers wrote in a Google blog that while passwords are not totally going away yet, they are frustrating to remember, and can put people at risk should their password end up in the wrong hands.
Passkeys can only exist on devices, so Google account holders can set up their passkeys for their Google accounts by logging in to g.co/passkeys and following instructions.
Going ‘password-less’
Last year, Google unveiled its intention for a password-free future, which they’d been working on for at least a decade. For enhanced security, they set up users with the 2-Step Verification and the Google Password Manager.
Since then, passkeys have been supported by Chrome and Android, and services like Docusign, Kayak, PayPal, Shopify and Yahoo! Japan.