Big tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, Sony, and others have embraced passwordless authentication, a futuristic method that has the potential to change the way we access our accounts completely. Google first introduced passwordless authentication almost a year ago.
Instead of dealing with the hassle of remembering or storing passwords, passwordless logins, also known as passkeys on Google, enable users to access their accounts using biometrics.
Here’s a simple guide on how to set up passwords on Google:
Setting Up Passkeys
To initiate passkeys, ensure your smartphone runs iOS 16/Android 9 or later, and your computer operates on at least Windows 10 or MacOS Ventura. Additionally, your web browser must be Google Chrome 109, Apple Safari 16, or Microsoft Edge 109.
Simply navigate to g.co/passkeys and log into your Google account. If you’re already logged in, it will prompt you for password verification. Once you enter your password and proceed, you’ll be prompted to create a passkey. Follow the prompts to complete the biometric verification process and generate your unique passkey.
Once set up, you can use this passkey to access your Google account. If you have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, the passkey will serve as a substitute, confirming your physical possession of the phone—providing similar security to 2FA. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can still log in using your traditional password.
Lost Passkey Device?
If your device with the passkey is lost or stolen, don’t worry. You can still access your Google account using another linked device. Simply visit g.co/passkeys on the alternate device, log in with your regular password, and once signed in, remove the passkey linked to the missing device by clicking the ‘X’ next to it and selecting ‘Remove’. This action will revert your login method to using your password.
