Passkeys (25H2)

Passkeys are a simpler and more secure alternative to the passwords we use with our online accounts.

Windows 11 includes native support for passkeys but they're limited to being device-bound, meaning they can be used only on the PC on which they were created. And so Windows 11 version 25H2 now lets you integrate this system with third-party passkey providers that make your passkeys portable so they can be used on all your devices.
❓ Why passkeys?
The passwords we use with our online accounts are insecure. They are easily guessed, can be stolen or leaked in a data breach, and most people reuse the same passwords across multiple accounts, opening us up to further hacks.

To combat these problems, we can use a password manager to manage our passwords and create unique, complex passwords for each online account. And security organizations and online account platform makers have collaborated on adding additional layers of identity verification to online accounts, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) technologies like one-time passwords (OTPs) and Authenticator apps.
✅ Tip: The most common MFA methods are often described as two-factor authentication (2FA) or two-step verification. For our purposes, these terms are interchangeable.
These techniques are all useful and effective. But to more fully secure online accounts, we need to eliminate passwords entirely. And so the same industry players have collaborated to create passkeys as a simpler and more secure alternative to passwords. Unlike passwords, passkeys are phishing resistant and impervious to data breaches. And they require the use of the PIN or biometric authentication method you configured on your PC or other device.

Passkeys are also broadly adopted across the industry. Online account makers are adding support for passkeys at a rapid clip and most password managers can now be used to manage passkeys too.
✅ Tip: For this reason, I will use the terms passkey manager and password manager interchangeably in this chapter.
The advantages are obvious. From a convenience perspective, passkeys can help you can achieve a passwordless experience today when you sign in to online accounts or have to verify your identity. But the end game is to reduce and then remove our reliance on passwords across all our online accounts.
✅ Tip: Few online account platforms let you create a passwordless account today or remove an existing password. One notable exception is your Microsoft account (MSA): Once you set up the correct alternative identity verification methods for your MSA, you can optionally delete the password.
? Types of passkeys
Passkeys can be saved to a phone, PC, or other device. Or they can be saved to a password manager (or other passkey manager) and used on multiple devices.

Passkeys stored only on a single device are called device-bound passkeys.

Passkeys stored in a password/passkey manager are portable passkeys because you can access the underlying service (and the...