If you’re on a PC that can’t create a passkey, it will open a QR code that you can scan with the ordinary cameras on iPhones and Android devices. There’s no wrong choice the system will simply notify you if that passkey already exists. Pressing it will open a window and let you create a passkey either on your current device or on another device. On the same Google account page noted above, look for the “Create a passkey” button. If you’re using an Android phone that’s already logged into your Google account, you’re most of the way there Android phones are automatically ready to use passkeys, though you still have enable the function first. Next step is to create the actual passkeys that will connect your trusted device. If you’re on an Apple device, you’ll first be prompted to set up the Keychain app if you’re not already using it it securely stores passwords and now passkeys as well. Then visit the page g.co/passkeys and click the option to “start using passkeys.” Voila! The passkey feature is now activated for that account. On any trusted phone or computer, open the browser and sign into your Google account. How do I start using passkeys?įirst step is to enable them for your Google account. They’re specific to particular websites, so scammer sites can’t steal a passkey from a dating site and use it to raid your bank account. In addition to sidestepping all those problems, passkeys have one additional advantage over passwords. But even password managers have a master password you need to protect, and that plunges you back into the swamp. Software-based password managers, which can create and store complex passwords for you, are valuable tools that can improve security. In short, passwords put security and ease of use directly at odds. And once you’ve settled on “erVex411$%” as your password, good luck remembering it. Stronger passwords are more secure, but only if you choose ones that are unique, complex and non-obvious. Passwords are also frequently compromised in security breaches. For years, analysis of hacked password caches found that the most common password in use was “password123.” A more recent study by the password manager NordPass found that it’s now just “password.” This isn’t fooling anyone. And making them more complex just opens the door to users defeating themselves.įor starters, many people choose passwords they can remember - and easy-to-recall passwords are also easy to hack. Thanks to clever hackers and human fallibility, passwords are just too easy to steal or defeat. Google designed its passkeys to work with a variety of devices, so you can use them on iPhones, Macs and Windows computers as well as Google’s own Android phones. Users won’t ever see them directly instead, an online service like Gmail will use them to communicate directly with a trusted device such as your phone or computer to log you in.Īll you’ll have to do is verify your identity on the device using a PIN unlock code, biometrics such as your fingerprint or a face scan or a more sophisticated physical security dongle. Passkeys offer a safer alternative to passwords and texted confirmation codes. Here’s what you need to know: What are Passkeys? Good news for all the password-haters out there: Google has taken a big step toward making them an afterthought by adding “passkeys” as a more straightforward and secure way to log into its services.
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