Google Enables Passwordless Logins

Google users can now create and use passkeys instead of traditional passwords to access their personal Google accounts. These passkeys will eventually work across all major platforms and browsers.

Passkeys are cryptographic private keys powered by the same standards that Google uses for security keys, its most secure type of authentication. Passkeys are created and stored on the device only. Still, Google says “it will take some time before they work everywhere,” and passwords are still in use and necessary for devices that don’t support the new technology.

Unlike passwords that are prone to multiple risks of getting exposed, the tech giant describes the new technology as “a more convenient and safer alternative to passwords” because passkeys can’t be written down, reused, shared, or exposed in data breaches. Even if the device is lost or stolen, users can immediately disable the passkeys through their account settings.

Instead of entering a password and going through a 2-step verification process, users can sign in or log in to apps in the same way they unlock their devices – with their fingerprint, through face recognition, or local PIN.

If a user has multiple devices, they can create a passkey for each one or sync the passkeys to all personal devices that support them. When access to one or more of the devices is lost, syncing prevents account lockout. This feature is not widely available at the moment.

Creating passkeys is also possible for one-time sign-ins for a new device. Google will give users the option to “use a passkey from another device.” The passkey only acts as a green light for a one-time use and the passkey is not transferred to the new device.

Google strongly advises against creating passkeys on shared devices because anyone with the ability to unlock the device can unlock the Google account in question as well.

The idea of passkeys replacing passwords is not new. The tech giant first announced it intended to go passwordless last year, revealing it had been working on passkey technology for close to a decade. Other companies that have embraced passkeys include PayPal, Shopify, Kayak, and DocuSign.

Google users can create passkeys for their personal Google accounts on g.co/passkeys. Google also invited web and app developers to follow its deployment model and adopt passkeys.