Goodbye passwords, see you never. Microsoft has delivered on its promise to offer passwordless access to its accounts. The new feature will be rolling out in the coming weeks and needs the Microsoft Authenticator app to work.
Microsoft’s passwordless future is logical. As everyone knows, passwords need to be complex in order for them to be secure enough. But complex passwords are hard to remember and to remember more than one is an even bigger challenge.
"My friend, Bret Arsenault, our Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) here at Microsoft likes to say, “Hackers don’t break in, they log in.” That has stuck with me ever since I first heard him say it because it’s so true." - Vasu Jakkal, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft
There are plenty of password managers, including Google's and Apple’s, which are there to solve the problem of remembering. But these still don’t get rid of the password entirely and require it when you cannot authenticate yourself via FaceID, fingerprint, or PIN.
The new passwordless option was announced by Microsoft in a blog post. The post also states that 579 password attacks occur every second, which is 18 billion attacks in a year.
Are passwords going extinct? Picture of the final message that appears after successfully going passwordless with your Microsoft account.
How to remove the password of my Microsoft account?
Those who are interested in Microsoft’s new security feature can go and remove their account’s password. Instead, they can use Microsoft’s Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key, or verifying by a code sent to your phone.
Here is how to remove your Microsoft account’s password:
Download the Microsoft Authenticator app and log in with your account
Sign in to your Microsoft account
Go to settings
Go into Advanced Security Options
Go to Additional Security Options
Turn on the Passwordless account setting
Follow the instructions and approve the notification from the Authenticator app
Note that this feature will be rolling out in the coming weeks, so it might not be present yet in your Microsoft account’s settings. You can also enable two-step authentication in the settings for more secure access. If you change your mind about using the passwordless functionality you can always turn it off and go old-school again.
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Iskren, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been passionate about technology since his childhood, sparked by his early experiences with phones like the Ericsson T28 and Sony Ericsson P910i. After earning a bachelor's degree in Media and Journalism, he turned his fascination with smartphones into a career, with a particular interest in Apple and Motorola. Outside of his tech pursuits, Iskren enjoys watching TV series, movies, driving, and has a deep passion for cars and Formula 1. He looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly the potential of rollable smartphones.
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