Google just made passkeys the default – How to use this password replacement

It’s bad news almost every time I talk to you about passwords. That’s because we (as in, yeah, all of us) play fast and loose with this critical aspect of cybersecurity.

• 84% of us are too laid-back (think sensitive info like birth dates or easy-to-crack codes like fido123).
• 52% of folks have just five or fewer passwords for everything. Yep, everything.
• Nearly half are hanging onto a password that’s over a decade old. Aged like fine wine? Not so much for security.

Woof! Enter the FIDO Alliance

That stands for Fast IDentity Online. Big tech companies launched the industry association in 2013 to build a better system than passwords we have to keep track of and type in. Now we’re seeing more start to roll it out, and Google’s beta testing worked so well that the company just made it the standard way to protect your account.

Before we get to how to use passkeys, let’s do a deep dive into how they work.

A look under the hood

A passkey is a personalized FIDO credential (like your fingerprint or face scan) that lives securely on your device. You use that instead of a username and password to unlock your accounts.

Their unique structure makes them near-impenetrable, unlike passwords — which are notoriously easy to crack. 

Another bonus: No more sticky notes with passwords on your monitor. Passkeys eliminate the daily “Which password did I use here?” dilemma. Google says passkeys make it 40% faster to log in.

Want to try it out? 

• Go to g.co/passkeys.
• Tap Get passkeys and sign in.
• Select Use passkeys, then follow the onscreen prompts.

Note: Passkeys are automatically created for Google devices, but you must set them up for any other gadgets you use to access your account(s).

Fear not, Apple folks

You can use passkeys with iPhone, too. You just need to have the iCloud Keychain turned on and 2FA enabled to use Passkey.

To sign in to an account on your iPhone with a passkey:

• Tap the account name field on the sign-in screen for the website or app you’re logging into. Tap the account suggested at the bottom of the screen or near the top of the keyboard. 
• If your iPhone has Touch ID, follow the onscreen instructions to verify your identity. Otherwise, Face ID does it for you.

Welcome, my friend, to the start of the passwordless future. I’m thrilled to be here.