Google Adds Passkeys as Option for Google Accounts

Google Account users can now sign in without a password.

The tech giant began rolling out support for passkeys across Google Accounts on all major platforms on Wednesday (May 3), adding them as an option alongside passwords and 2-Step Verification (2SV), Google said in a Wednesday blog post.

The passkeys for Google Accounts became available Wednesday, and the option will be available to administrators of Google Workspace accounts soon, according to the blog post.

Passkeys provide a new way to sign in to apps and websites that is easier and more secure than passwords, the post said.

“Instead, passkeys let users sign in to apps and sites the same way they unlock their devices: with a fingerprint, a face scan or a screen lock PIN,” Google said in the post. “And, unlike passwords, passkeys are resistant to online attacks like phishing, making them more secure than things like SMS one-time codes.”

PYMNTS research has found that despite the widespread use of passwords, most consumers are comfortable with the idea of ditching them in favor of other authentication methods.

In fact, 61% of consumers are willing to use non-password login methods and 45% are very comfortable with security using non-password login methods, according to “The Future of Authentication in Financial Services: Using Authentication to Build Trust,” a PYMNTS and Entersekt collaboration.

The report also found that 47% of consumers believe that passwords will eventually no longer be used.

This expanded availability of passkeys from Google follows a year in which the company has been bringing that option to both Chrome and Android, and in which that option has been deployed by Docusign, Kayak, PayPal, Shopify, Yahoo! Japan and other services, according to the blog post.

When PayPal announced in October 2022 that it plans to replace passwords with passkeys, it said this would add a new level of security while catering to a growing cohort of consumers who want password-free commerce.

Google said in its Wednesday blog post: “Of course, like any new beginning, the change to passkeys will take time. That’s why passwords and 2SV will still work for Google Accounts.”