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7 Best Password Managers (2025), Tested and Reviewed

Even the best password managers are the vegetables of the internet. We know they’re good for us, but most of us are happier snacking on the password equivalent of junk food. For nearly a decade, that’s been “123456” and “password”—the two most commonly used passwords on the web. The problem is, most of us don’t know what makes a good password and aren’t able to remember hundreds of them anyway. The safest (if craziest) way to store your passwords is to memorize them all. (Make sure they are lon

I'm ditching passwords for passkeys for one reason - and it's not what you think

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Adoption of passkeys is fragmented across sites and devices. Users still need passwords for recovery and new device setup. Phishing protection makes passkeys worth adding, despite confusion. OK. Fine. I've finally decided to embrace passkeys. But why does it feel so icky? As you probably know, passkeys are the tech industry's answer to The Password Problem. Unlike password data, which

What Is a Passkey? Here’s How to Set Up and Use Them (2025)

Passwords suck. They're hard to remember, but worse is playing the ever-evolving game of cybersecurity whack-a-mole with your most important accounts. That’s where passkeys come into play. The so-called “war on passwords” has taken off over the past two years, with titans like Google, Microsoft, and Apple pushing for a password-less future that the FIDO Alliance (a consortium made to “help reduce the world’s over-reliance on passwords”) has been trying to realize for over a decade. Like it or n

Passkeys and Modern Authentication

Passkeys and Modern Authentication There is an ongoing trend in the industry to move people away from username and password towards passkeys. The intentions here are good, and I would assume that this has a significant net benefit for the average consumer. At the same time, the underlying standard has some peculiarities. These enable behaviors by large corporations, employers, and governments that are worth thinking about. Attestations One potential source of problems here is the attestation

Unpacking Passkeys Pwned: Possibly the most specious research in decades

Don’t believe everything you read—especially when it’s part of a marketing pitch designed to sell security services. The latest example of the runaway hype that can come from such pitches is research published today by SquareX, a startup selling services for securing browsers and other client-side applications. It claims, without basis, to have found a “major passkey vulnerability” that undermines the lofty security promises made by Apple, Google, Microsoft, and thousands of other companies tha

Syncable vs. non-syncable passkeys: Are roaming authenticators the best of both worlds?

matejmo/Getty Images Like or not, a replacement for passwords -- known as passkeys -- is coming your way, if it hasn't already. The three big ideas behind passkeys are that they cannot be guessed in the way passwords often can (and are), the same passkey cannot be re-used across different websites and apps (the way passwords can), and you cannot be tricked into divulging your passkeys to malicious actors, often through techniques such as phishing, smishing, quishing, and malvertising. Also: Ho

Passkeys are just passwords that require a password manager

Passkeys are just passwords that require a password manager You reset your passkey the same way you reset your password. But you’ll find that passkeys make it harder to switch between password managers, because you can’t copy and paste a passkey. Dan Fabulich 3 min read · Just now Just now -- Listen Share Passkeys are randomly generated passwords that are required to be managed by a password manager. All the major password managers support them, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Mozilla, and

Microsoft Authenticator won't manage your passwords anymore - or most passkeys

D3Damon/Getty Images For most of this year, Microsoft has been warning users that they will no longer be able to use its Authenticator mobile application for user ID and password management. As reported by CNET on July 29, 2025, "In June, the company stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator…. And starting Aug. 1, you'll no longer be able to use saved passwords." Also: How passkeys work: The complete guide to your inevitable passwordless future To me, the dire warnings of this pend

How to sync passkeys in Chrome across your Android, iPhone, Mac, or PC (and why you should)

Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Passkeys promise to replace passwords as a more secure and convenient login method. But they still have a way to go before fulfilling that promise. That's because passkeys are often way too difficult to set up on one device, let alone all the devices you use. The industry itself offers no standard or consistent method to save and store passkeys, so each company has cobbled together its own process, which may or may not work. Also: Passkeys won't be

Microsoft Will Delete Your Passwords This Friday. What to Do Now

We're only days away from the Microsoft Authenticator app no longer managing passwords. As of this Friday, you won't be able to save or manage passwords, use two-factor authentication or auto-fill. And it won't be your go-to password manager anymore, either. Earlier this summer, Microsoft announced it was moving from passwords to passkeys. So instead of creating a password with a mix of letters, symbols and numbers, you'll use PINs, fingerprint scans, facial recognition or a pattern on your de

Google is using passkeys and new security tools to help you fight cyberattacks - here's how

Google / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Cybercriminals always have an arsenal of ways to target and attack unsuspecting users, both at home and in the workplace. That puts the onus on companies like Google to find methods to thwart the latest types of cyberattacks. In a new blog post published Tuesday, Google reveals some of the threats facing customers and the tools now available to help them protect themselves. Also: Google Chrome for iOS now lets you switch between personal and work accounts

What if your passkey device is stolen? How to manage risk in our passwordless future

Yuliya Taba/Getty Images Part of the "passkeys are more secure than passwords" story is derived from the fact that passkeys are non-human-readable secrets -- stored somewhere on your device -- that even you have very limited access to. OK, so what happens to those passkeys if your device is stolen? Over on Spiceworks.com, ZDNET's sister site for IT professionals, a community member posed some insightful passkey edge case questions regarding my ZDNET story about the industry needing to get its

Time's Almost Up: Microsoft Will Delete Your Passwords on Aug. 1. What to Do ASAP

If you use Microsoft Authenticator to manage your passwords, the clock is ticking. On Aug. 1, the app won't store or manage your passwords anymore. That means you won't be able to save passwords or use two-factor authentication or auto-fill. And if the Authenticator app was your go-to password manager, you'll need to find a new one. Microsoft is moving to a login method we're becoming more familiar with: passkeys. Instead of a mix of letters, symbols and numbers, you'll use PINs, fingerprint s

How to sync passkeys in Chrome across your PC, Mac, iPhone, or Android

Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Passkeys promise to replace passwords as a more secure and convenient login method. But they still have a way to go before fulfilling that promise. That's because passkeys are often way too difficult to set up on one device, let alone all the devices you use. The industry itself offers no standard or consistent method to save and store passkeys, so each company has cobbled together its own process, which may or may not work. Also: Passkeys won't be

How to set up and use passkeys across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Passkeys offer a more secure and convenient method of authentication compared with passwords. But they can be challenging to set up and synchronize, especially if you want to use the same ones on a range of devices, such as a mobile phone, tablet, and computer. As one solution, Apple users can save and sync their passkeys across an iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The key here is iCloud Keychain, which can store passkeys as well as passwords. You first set up

Passkeys won't be ready for primetime until Google and other companies fix this

Crispin la valiente/Getty Images I'm all about new technology, but sometimes, new technology gets in its own way, and passkeys epitomize this more than any other technology. For those who do not know, passkeys are the new password, only more secure. Also: How passkeys work: The complete guide to your inevitable passwordless future Essentially, a passkey is a digital credential that allows you to log into your accounts using biometric (fingerprints or facial scans) and/or non-biometric (PINs,

Microsoft Will Wipe Out Your Passwords on Aug. 1. What to Do Now

Microsoft is getting rid of passwords in less than two weeks. On Aug. 1, the Microsoft Authenticator app will no longer store or manage passwords, which could be a problem for a lot of users. Microsoft Authenticator has been one of the best password managers for years. You were able to save passwords, enable two-factor authentication and auto-fill. This change means that if you're using the Authenticator app as a password manager, you'll need to look for another option soon. At the same time,

Microsoft Will Erase Your Passwords in 2 Weeks: What to Do Now

Microsoft is axing passwords starting in August -- and if you use its Authenticator app, you'll want to be prepared. For years, Microsoft Authenticator has been a go-to for managing multifactor authentication and saved passwords. However, starting next month, it will no longer support passwords and will move to passkeys instead. That means your logins will soon rely more on things like PINs, fingerprint scans or facial recognition. Using a passkey can make your account safer, and it's a move I

How I easily set up passkeys through my password manager - and why you should too

J. W. Burkey/Getty Images Passkeys promise a more secure, easier authentication method than passwords. Instead of creating and remembering a password for each account, a passkey is automatically generated for you by the respective website or app. To authenticate your login, you can use a PIN, fingerprint recognition, facial ID, or a physical security key. Also: How passkeys work: The complete guide to your inevitable passwordless future Sounds great, right? The main hiccup is that passkeys ca

Microsoft Plans to Purge Passwords — Here's How to Protect Yours

Microsoft is moving closer to a password-free future, and if you're still using the Authenticator app to manage logins, big changes are coming fast. Starting Aug. 1, the app will no longer support passwords at all. This shift has already been in motion-new password creation was disabled in June, and autofill support was cut off in July. For years, Microsoft Authenticator was a go-to for managing both multi-factor authentication and saved passwords. But now, it's being refocused to support passk

How passkeys work: Going passwordless with public key cryptography

Vitalii Gulenok/Getty Images For the last five years, the FIDO Alliance -- led by Apple, Microsoft, and Google (with other companies in tow) -- has been blazing a trail toward a future where passwords are no longer necessary in order to login to our favorite websites and apps. This so-called passwordless future is based on a new form of login credential known as the passkey, which itself is largely based on another technology -- public key cryptography -- that's been around for decades. Why t

How passkeys work: Let's start the passkey registration process

Photoraidz/Getty Images Previously on our passkey journey, I talked about the challenge of figuring out if a relying party -- typically, the operator of a website or app -- even offers the ability to sign in with a passkey instead of the more traditional and less secure username and password-based approach. Some of the biggest relying parties in the world -- including Apple, Google, and Microsoft -- support passkeys as a means of passwordless authentication. Together, these tech giants can int

How passkeys work: Your passwordless journey begins here

CollinsChin/Getty Images Over the last few decades, compromised usernames and passwords have typically been at the root of some of the most sensational, damaging, and costly data breaches. An incessant drumbeat of advice about how to choose and use strong passwords and how not to fall prey to social engineering attacks has done little to keep threat actors at bay. Additional factors of authentication, such as the transmission of one-time passwords or passcodes (OTPs) over SMS or email, are wid

How passkeys work: Do your favorite sites even support passkeys?

Adam Smigielski/Getty Images Over the last few decades, compromised usernames and passwords have typically been at the root of some of the most sensational, damaging, and costly data breaches. An incessant drumbeat of advice about how to choose and use strong passwords and how not to fall prey to social engineering attacks has done little to keep threat actors at bay. Additional factors of authentication, such as the transmission of one-time passwords or passcodes (OTPs) over SMS or email, are

How passkeys work: The complete guide to your inevitable passwordless future

Owaki - Kulla/Getty Images I've been writing a lot about passkeys recently -- and with good reason. This year, some of the world's largest technology companies are doubling down on efforts to convince their billions of global users to start using passkeys instead of passwords when signing into websites, apps, and other services. Passwords versus passkeys How passkeys work Do your favorite sites even support passkeys? Join us on a typical passkey journey from discovery to registration to authe

Microsoft Is Eliminating Passwords in August: Here's What You Need to Do to Prepare

In June, Microsoft Authenticator stopped letting users create new passwords. In July, it turned off the autofill password function. And in August, the login app will stop supporting passwords entirely, moving to more secure passkeys, such as a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition. Attila Tomaschek, CNET's software senior writer and digital security expert, says that passkeys are a safer alternative to the risky password habits practiced by 49% of US adults, according to a recent survey by CNE

Next month, saved passwords will no longer be in Microsoft’s Authenticator app

Starting this month, you'll no longer be able to use Microsoft Authenticator's autofill password function, a move the company is making to transition from passwords to passkeys. Last month, Microsoft stopped letting you save new passwords in the app. Next month is the biggest change, all your saved passwords will no longer be in the Authenticator app. You'll have to use passkeys instead -- such as a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition. Attila Tomaschek, CNET's software senior writer and dig

Microsoft Will Delete Your Passwords in One Month

Starting this month, you'll no longer be able to use Microsoft Authenticator's autofill password function, a move the company is making to transition from passwords to passkeys. Last month, Microsoft stopped letting you save new passwords in the app. Next month is the biggest change, all your saved passwords will no longer be in the Authenticator app. You'll have to use passkeys instead -- such as a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition. Attila Tomaschek, CNET's software senior writer and dig

Microsoft Authenticator won't manage your passwords anymore - here's why and what's next

gyro/Getty Images Those of you who use Microsoft Authenticator as a password manager will have to find another option, and soon. That's because an upcoming change will pull the plug on the ability to use the Authenticator app to store and autofill passwords. In a recent support document, Microsoft revealed the timeline for Authenticator's retirement as a password manager. Starting in June, you'll no longer be able to add or import new passwords in the app, though you'll still be able to save p

Microsoft Authenticator will soon ditch passwords for passkeys - here's what to do

ZDNET Those of you who use Microsoft Authenticator as a password manager will have to find another option, and soon. That's because an upcoming change will pull the plug on the ability to use the Authenticator app to store and autofill passwords. In a recent support document, Microsoft revealed the timeline for Authenticator's retirement as a password manager. Starting in June, you'll no longer be able to add or import new passwords in the app, though you'll still be able to save passwords thr