Microsoft to eliminate passwords by August 2025

(Web Desk): Using weak passwords often proves disastrous for account security, which is why some companies are now aiming to eliminate traditional password systems altogether.

Microsoft is one such major tech company planning to completely replace passwords with passkeys for its accounts in the near future.

The company will fully phase out password usage by August 2025.

Starting from June 2025, users will no longer be able to add passwords in the Microsoft Authenticator app.

In July, autofill functionality will be disabled, and from August 1st, access to stored passwords will be removed, requiring users to switch to passkeys.

Passkeys are essentially digital keys that are considered more secure because they are not stored on any web server.

Instead of long passwords, this technology uses a 4-digit PIN or biometric details (like fingerprint or facial recognition) for login.

As a result, the risk associated with weak passwords is eliminated. Additionally, since password managers are often targets for hackers, passkeys also help avoid such vulnerabilities.

In simple terms, Microsoft accounts will now become password-less by default.

According to the company, users will be prompted to create passkeys via notifications in the Authenticator app.

If you're not using Authenticator, you’ll be informed through email or other channels to set up a passkey.

A new section for passkeys is also being added to the Microsoft Authenticator app, allowing users to easily create one with a click.

Logging in with a passkey is significantly faster and easier than using passwords.

However, one downside of passkey technology is that if you lose the mobile device where your passkey is stored, regaining access to your account can be quite challenging.