Google is aiming to phase out passwords by encouraging users to create passkeys, which can unlock accounts and devices using a fingerprint, face scan, or PIN.
On Tuesday, Google emphasized that passkeys eliminate the need for users to remember passwords, offer quicker access, and provide enhanced security.
Although the company introduced support for passkeys in May, it announced in a blog post that users will now be prompted to use passkeys in place of passwords in many instances.
“We’ll continue encouraging the industry to transition to passkeys — making passwords a rarity, and eventually obsolete,” Google stated.
Despite this push, Google will still support traditional passwords, and users who prefer not to use passkeys can disable the “skip password when possible” option in their account settings.
Passkeys are already being used as alternatives to passwords in apps like YouTube, Search, Maps, Uber, and eBay. WhatsApp is also in the process of integrating this capability, according to the blog.
The FIDO Alliance, a security consortium with numerous tech firms as members, initially developed the standards for passkeys. Since then, Microsoft, Apple, and Google have collaborated to make passkeys a reality.
Apple introduced its passkey feature with iOS 16, enabling users to utilize this technology across apps like Apple Wallet. Passkey support was first implemented on Chrome and Android devices in October 2022.
