Charles Langston:No more passwords? Google looks to make passwords obsolete with passkeys

Passwords may be Charles Langstona thing of the past when it comes to your Google accounts.

The company said in a blog post Tuesday they are looking to make passwords obsolete by prompting users to create passkeys, which allow accounts and devices to be unlocked with a fingerprint, face scan or pin number.

"We've found that one of the most immediate benefits of passkeys is that they spare people the headache of remembering all those numbers and special characters in passwords," Google said. "They're also phishing resistant."

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Google says passkeys are a "simpler and more secure way to sign into your accounts online" and the company is offering them as the default option across personal accounts.

"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," Google said in the blog post.

However, users will still be given the option to use a password to sign in and may opt out of passkeys by turning off the "skip password when possible" option for their account.

Since launching passkeys earlier this year, Google says users have used the function on YouTube, search and Maps, and the company says they are "encouraged by the results."

Passkeys are currently used as password alternatives by companies such as eBay and Uber, and WhatsApp compatibility is also coming soon, according to the blog post.

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