Microsoft makes passwords a factor of the previous for brand new customers

Microsoft
has been pushing its

passwordless Windows logins
for the previous a number of years, even permitting customers who add passkeys to their accounts the flexibility to delete their passwords now. In recognition of

World Password Day
, Microsoft has taken its next bold step in account security and safety.

In a latest blog post, Microsoft introduced that new accounts will probably be “passwordless by default,” that means that customers will as a substitute be prompted to set up a passkey for his or her new account quite than a password. This implies new Microsoft accounts won’t ever have to have a password, if the consumer so chooses.

“Model new Microsoft accounts will now be ‘passwordless by default.’ New customers may have a number of passwordless choices for signing into their account they usually’ll by no means have to enroll a password,” Microsoft mentioned. “Current customers can go to their account settings to delete their password.”

What’s a passkey?

You need to use biometrics to entry your account as a substitute of a password

Microsoft / Pocket-lint

Passkeys make it more durable for dangerous actors to steal your account’s password, because the password does not exist within the first place to steal. Passkeys let customers sign up to their Microsoft account utilizing their face, fingerprint, or PIN on their private gadget as a substitute of a daily outdated password. Passkeys launched for all client Microsoft accounts final 12 months.

To arrange a passkey in your Microsoft account, go to Account Settings > Safety > Add a brand new option to sign up or confirm. It’s also possible to obtain the Microsoft Autheticator app in your cell gadget to arrange a passkey from there, in addition to push notifications to sign up to your Microsoft account as a substitute of a password.

“Though passwords have been round for hundreds of years, we hope their reign over our on-line world is ending,” Microsoft mentioned, whereas boldly proclaiming World Password Day as “World Passkey Day” as a substitute. Whereas it might be awhile earlier than passwords in every single place are gone for good, this can be a main transfer by a tech firm to get rid of passwords altogether. In all equity, your password cannot get stolen if it does not exist within the first place.

If you wish to study password safety, and the most effective methods to maintain your gadgets and accounts safe on-line, take a look at all of Pocket-lint’s World Password Week stories.

Associated

Welcome to World Password Week 2025: learn how to better secure your accounts

All through the subsequent few days, you will hear find out how Pocket-lint’s specialists hold their accounts safe.