Google Makes Passkeys the Default Login Option for Personal Accounts

Google announced today that it’s making Passkeys the default login option for personal Google accounts. Google rolled out support for Passkeys earlier this year, and this is a new standard for passwordless authentication that’s also supported by Microsoft and Google.

Passkeys allow users to log in to apps and websites using a fingerprint, a face scan, or a screen lock PIN. Compared to passwords, these passwordless authentication methods are more secure as they’re resistant to phishing attacks. They’re also more convenient to use, which should help to increase adoption.

“The next time you sign in to your account, you’ll start seeing prompts to create and use passkeys, simplifying your future sign-ins. It also means you’ll see the ‘Skip password when possible’ option toggled on in your Google Account settings,” Google explained today.

The option to keep using old-school passwords for your personal Google account will still be available: You’ll just need to turn off “Skip password when possible” in your accounts settings if you’re not ready yet to switch to passkeys.

On the Microsoft side, the recent Windows 11 Fall Update also added support for Passkeys, which work with Windows Hello. Passkeys on Windows 11 version 22H2 (and the upcoming version 23H2) are compatible with the most popular web browsers, and you can save them locally on your PC, on a linked mobile device, or a FIDO2 security key.