Google Makes Passkeys Default Option for Personal Accounts

Google has made passkeys the default option for personal Google accounts, beginning Tuesday (Oct. 10).

When users sign into their account, they will see prompts to create and use passkeys, as well as seeing the “Skip password when possible” option toggled on in their account settings, Google said in a Tuesday (Oct. 10) blog post.

At the same time, people will still be given the option to use a password to sign in, and can turn off the passkeys option, according to the post.

This move follows the company’s rollout of support for passkeys earlier this year and aims to simplify and enhance online security, the post said.

Passkeys offer a faster and more secure alternative to traditional passwords, utilizing fingerprint, face scan or PIN authentication to unlock devices, per the post. They are 40% faster than passwords, rely on advanced cryptography that makes them more secure, and are more resistant to phishing attempts.

“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 in the post.

Passkeys have gained traction among users, with apps like YouTube, Search and Maps integrating the feature, according to the post. Additionally, industry giants such as Uber and eBay have adopted passkeys, providing their users with the option to forgo passwords when signing in. WhatsApp compatibility with passkeys is also set to be introduced soon.

Google aims to expand the availability of passkeys across various online accounts in the future, with the ultimate goal of making passwords a rarity and eventually obsolete, the post said. The company encourages the industry to embrace this authentication method.

Google added passkeys as an option for Google accounts in May, adding them as an option alongside passwords and 2-Step Verification (2SV).

PYMNTS Intelligence has found that the widespread adoption of passkeys by Google, Microsoft and Apple has generated excitement about the move away from passwords.

Passkeys are gaining traction in part because 31% of consumers struggle to keep track of different login credentials and 21% struggle to memorize passwords when using different devices, according to “Ditching Passwords Could Unlock a $59 Billion Biometrics Market,” a PYMNTS and Prove collaboration.