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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

Microsoft Is Getting Rid of Passwords in One Month. Here's What You Need to Do ASAP

If you rely on Microsoft Authenticator to store your passwords, time is winding down. Starting in August, Microsoft will require you to use passkeys instead of keeping all of your Microsoft passwords on its mobile app and your old passwords will vanish. But that's not bad news. Passkeys can cut out risky password habits that 49% of US adults have, according to a recent CNET survey. Making it a practice to use the same password for multiple accounts or include personal hints, like your birthday

Microsoft Is Ditching Passwords for Passkeys: How to Switch Before the August Deadline

Did you know there's a safer alternative to passwords? Some companies are implementing passkeys, which essentially use your biometric data, like fingerprint or facial recognition to log into your account as the first step. Passkeys can cut out risky password habits that 49% of US adults have, according to a recent CNET survey. Using the same password for multiple accounts and even using personal information, like your name, as a part of your password can lead to hackers guessing it or your pass

RIP Microsoft Passwords: Here's How to Set Up a Passkey Before the August Deadline

Risky password habits can have big consequences, and some companies are making it easier to stay secure online by ditching decades-old password methods and implementing passkeys instead. Microsoft intends to do the same starting in August. Whether you have an easy-to-guess password or it's leaked in a company data breach, if hackers get hold of it, it can open the door to identity theft and fraud. A recent CNET survey found that 49% of US adults have risky password habits, like using the same p

Facebook's new passkey support could soon let you ditch your password forever

NurPhoto / Contributor/Getty For all of us who hate passwords, passkeys represent a simpler and safer way of authenticating online accounts. But adoption has been slow, with many companies and websites still relying on passwords. Now the world's biggest social media platform is jumping on the bandwagon. On Wednesday, Facebook announced that it's now rolling out support for passkeys on mobile devices. This means you'll be able to use one to sign in to Facebook on an iPhone or Android device. Bu

Facebook's new passkey support could let you ditch your password once and for all

NurPhoto / Contributor/Getty For all of us who hate passwords, passkeys represent a simpler and safer way of authenticating online accounts. But adoption has been slow, with many companies and websites still relying on passwords. Now the world's biggest social media platform is jumping on the bandwagon. On Wednesday, Facebook announced that it will soon support passkeys on mobile devices. This means you'll be able to use one to sign in to Facebook on an iPhone or Android device. But the passke

Meta is finally adding passkey support for Facebook and Messenger

Meta is finally adding passkey support for Facebook and Messenger on mobile devices. This should make for more seamless logins, as a passkey lets people sign in by using the same data they already use to verify their identities on a smartphone. This includes stuff like a PIN code, a fingerprint or a quick face scan. This is not only convenient, but more secure than traditional passwords. Passkeys are resistant to many types of malicious attacks, as they can’t be easily guessed or stolen. This w

Facebook rolls out passkey support to fight phishing attacks

is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Facebook is adding support for passkeys on its mobile app. That means you’ll be able to log into the platform using your device’s authentication method, like your fingerprint, face scan, or PIN, making it more difficult for bad actors to take control of your account. Passkeys offer a more secure alternative to typical passwords because they can’t b

Facebook will soon roll out support for passkeys on Android and iOS

Facebook is rolling out support for passkeys on both iOS and Android, the social network announced on Wednesday. Passkey logins make it harder for bad actors to remotely access your accounts because they require physical access to your phone. Unlike standard logins, passkeys use Face ID or Touch ID, a PIN, or a physical security authentication key to validate logins. Passkeys remove the need to rely on username and password combinations, which can be susceptible to phishing and other issues.

With iOS 26, Apple is solving one of the biggest passkey headaches

Apple’s next round of OS updates will introduce a long-overdue feature for anyone trying to live in a world without passwords: a seamless, secure way to export and import passkeys across platforms and apps. Here’s how it’s going to work. As noted by Ars Technica’s Dan Goodin (via SixColors), the new capability, which Apple demonstrated during WWDC25, addresses one of the biggest pain points with passkeys to date. Until now, passkeys created on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad were largely trapped inside

With iOS 26, Apple is finally solving one of the biggest passkey headaches

Apple’s next round of OS updates will introduce a long-overdue feature for anyone trying to live in a world without passwords: a seamless, secure way to export and import passkeys across platforms and apps. Here’s how it’s going to work. As noted by Ars Technica’s Dan Goodin (via SixColors), the new capability, which Apple demonstrated during WWDC25, addresses one of the biggest pain points with passkeys to date. Until now, passkeys created on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad were largely trapped inside

Coming to Apple OSes: A seamless, secure way to import and export passkeys

Apple this week provided a glimpse into a feature that solves one of the biggest drawbacks of passkeys, the industry-wide standard for website and app authentication that isn't susceptible to credential phishing and other attacks targeting passwords. The import/export feature, which Apple demonstrated at this week’s WWDC 25, will be available in the next major releases of iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and visionOS. It aims to solve one of the biggest shortcomings of passkeys as they have existed to date.