On World Password Day, in an attempt to provide an alternative to passwords Google has announced to let the users access Google Accounts through passkeys. This approach eliminates the need for tedious password management. But the real magic of passkeys lies in their superior security. Despite the constant effort to secure the user data, several data compromises have occurred in the recent years. The most notable was in 2018 and the most recent was in January earlier this year. 

Nearly a year after Google alongside FIDO Alliance, Apple and Microsoft —announced to begin work to support passkeys on the platform, we’ve begun rolling out support for passkeys across Google Accounts on all major platforms. Google noted that the transition to passkeys will take time. As such, Google will continue to support traditional passwords and two-step verification (2SV) for Google Accounts.

The feature can be set up by visiting g.co/passkeys. 

What are Passkeys?

People are notoriously bad at picking passwords. In fact, 21% of people use passwords over 10 years old, 47% of people use passwords at least five years old, and 73% of all online accounts are guarded by duplicate passwords. With this release Google is eliminating the need for weak and easily hackable passwords like “password123” or the names of pets and birthdays. 

Passkeys enable users to sign in using the same biometric authentication methods they use to unlock their phones, such as fingerprint recognition, facial scanning, or screen lock PINs. Unlike passwords, passkeys are resistant to online attacks, making them a more secure option than other verification methods like SMS one-time codes.

In the past year, the Pichai led company has been actively working on integrating passkey experiences into Chrome and Android. Several renowned services, including Kayak, PayPal, Shopify, and Yahoo! Japan have already adopted this new feature to simplify the sign-in process. 

Previous Attempts

Over the past two years, the tech trio have been slowly rolling out support for passkeys. 

In the early part of 2021, the software giant Microsoft revealed that passwordless sign-in was generally available for commercial users. Later that year, the tech giant also announced that the user could completely remove the password from their Microsoft account. By using the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key, or a verification code sent to the phone or mail; one can access apps and services. 

Furthermore, the same year,  in a presentation, Apple revealed that its iOS 15 and macOS Monterey would preview a feature called “Passkeys in iCloud Keychain” to try to replace passwords with a “more” secure login process.