Google’s New Passkey Support Lets You Sign In Without a Password

Google is taking another major step in getting rid of passwords by rolling out passkeys for Google Accounts.

Your Google Account no longer requires a password now that Google is flipping the switch on passkey support. And once set up, you'll be able to log into your Google Accounts in a manner more akin to unlocking your phone.

The call to ditch passwords has gotten louder since modern tech has proved time after time that they can often be stolen or (if they're too weak) guessed. Passkeys allow you to log into your Google Account with your face, fingerprint, or a personal PIN—just like we do with our smartphones. Of course, biometric readers like fingerprint scanners or cameras for facial recognition are required to use a passkey, which means even though passkeys are available, not every device can use them.

But don't panic—for now, passkeys aren't outright replacing your passwords or two-factor authentication. Google is offering the option as an introduction, with plans to slowly phase out passwords in favor of this more secure approach to online credentials. It will likely take a while to cut out passwords as we know them entirely, so for now, think of it as a faster way to access your account securely.

Passkey support is rolling out now for all Google Accounts across just about every platform that supports them. Google Workspace users may have to wait for their administrator to enable passkeys first, though, which is an option Google says will go live "soon."