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, can be risky. It could be an easy giveaway for hackers to guess, which can lead to identity theft and fraud.
Here's what you need to know about Microsoft's timeline for the switch and how to set up passkeys for your Microsoft accounts before it's too late.
Microsoft Authenticator will stop supporting passwords
Microsoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all of your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition such as Windows Hello, or other biometric data, like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you're logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your Microsoft accounts.
In June, Microsoft stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator, but here's a timeline of other changes you can expect, according to Microsoft.
July 2025: You won't be able to use the autofill password function.
You won't be able to use the autofill password function. August 2025: You'll no longer be able to use saved passwords.
If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them in Microsoft Edge. However, CNET experts recommend adopting passkeys during this transition. "Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords to access their online accounts," said Attila Tomaschek, CNET software senior writer and digital security expert.
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