Passwords have always been a necessary evil, giving you the choice of using one that’s too simple (for you to easily remember) or one obscure enough to be secure but complicated enough to require a password manager.
Until now, the best way to keep your accounts secure was to associate a password with two-factor authorization (2FA). But now, Google offers another option: use a passkey, a secure credential linked to the PIN, or biometric authentication your device already uses. The passkey only exists on your device, not in the cloud, making it even more secure.
Do you want to try it? That is how.
Currently, you can create an access key in any compatible hardware, including laptops/desktops running Windows 10 or macOS Ventura (or later) with Chrome 109, Safari 16, or Edge 109 or later. If you’re setting up a passcode on a mobile phone or tablet, it must be running iOS 16 or Android 9 (or later). You can also use it with any hardware security key that supports the FIDO2 protocol.
You’ll also need to have a screen lock enabled, and if you want to use your phone to sign in to another device, like a laptop, you’ll need to have Bluetooth turned on as well.
Finally, if you have a Google Workspace account through a school or employer, you won’t be able to set up a passcode for that account. (However, you can use it for any personal Google account.)
You can remove a device from your passkey list, if the passkey was one you created.
If Google automatically created the access key, you can’t delete it; instead, you must sign that device out of the account.
Yes. If you want, you can go back to using passwords and 2FA like before. (Note: Access keys will still be part of the account; they just won’t be used.)
