Don't Use Passkeys Yet? Google Will Nudge You To Try Them

pcmag.com:

Google is starting to push users to try out passkeys, a new login method that drops traditional passwords for a more smartphone-like experience. 

Back in May, the company officially rolled out passkeys as an optional way to log into your account. Now Google plans on nudging users to adopt the login method as their “default” to sign in. 

“This means the next time you sign in to your account, you’ll start seeing prompts to create and use passkeys, simplifying your future sign-ins,” the company wrote in a blog post.  

To help make the passkey support mainstream, the company also says an option called “Skip password when possible” will appear in Google account settings. Toggling it on means Google sign-ins should surface the passkey login option instead. 

Google and the rest of the tech industry are starting to push for the passkey support in an effort to phase out passwords, which can sometimes be easily guessed, stolen or cracked with the aid of software programs. It doesn’t help that passwords can be easily forgotten, especially since consumers often use a large number of apps and websites.

In response, the tech industry developed passkeys. On the surface, the technology allows you to sign into a website or app using a fingerprint or facial scan, or by simply typing in a pin code to unlock access.

The security system works by creating a unique, private key that’s bound to the hardware, whether it be your laptop or smartphone. To sign in, a website will merely issue a digital challenge, which the private key onboard your device can authenticate. Hence, no password data is ever exchanged, preventing hackers from stealing the login credential.  

“We’ve found that one of the most immediate benefits of passkeys is that they