Log in without a password: How do passkeys work in Windows 11?

The latest major Windows 11 update allows you to sign in to select websites via Windows Hello without a password. We’ll show you how to create and use such passkeys in Windows 11.

The Windows 11 23H2 update brought many new features. One of these is support for passkeys, a relatively new login technology that offers an alternative to passwords. We’ve been using passwords to secure our accounts for years, but that’s because there was nothing better. Passwords are forgotten and easy to crack if you don’t follow the rules. Passkeys is based on biometric verification tools such as your facial expression or fingerprint, whether in combination with a PIN code.

Specifically, Windows support means that you can use Windows Hello to log in to websites that have already accepted passkeys without a password. This list is now quite limited: the first adopters include PayPal, Adobe and Google. The technology is becoming increasingly popular, so names will be added soon. You can find a current overview here.

We have previously created separate instructions for logging into Google without a password. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create and use passkeys in Windows 11.

Step 1: Create passkeys

You create login keys through the account you want to use them for. As an example, let’s take Adobe, which actively promotes passkeys in its web services. Look for security details in your account settings. There you will see the option to add a passkey to your account.

This will open a Windows Hello pop-up menu where you will first select what type of passkey you want to create. Your digital key can be in the form of facial recognition, fingerprint or PIN code. We choose the first option. Just have your face scanned and you will get a message that the passkey has been saved in Windows. Always double-check in the website account settings.
Step 2: Log in with the password

Now comes the big test. Sign out to sign in again. Websites that offer passkeys will ask you if you want to log in with a digital key under the traditional username and password field. This will reopen the Windows Hello pop-up window. Scan your face (or fingerprint) again and if step 1 was done correctly, you will be logged in automatically.

Don’t worry if the scanners on your device are annoying. Normally you can still log in with a password. We can assure you that once you have logged in with your passkeys a few times, you will no longer voluntarily use your password. But for now, it’s best not to throw it in the digital trash just yet.
Step 3: Manage passkeys in Windows

Another important feature of passkeys is that they are stored locally on your device rather than on a web server like passwords. In Windows, you can find your passkeys in Settings. Search below Accounts to the menu Passcode. You can also use the shortcut ms-settings:savedpasskeys Enter it into your browser.

In this menu you will see an overview of all the passkeys stored in your Windows account. You can delete them here if they are no longer associated with an active account.

Source: IT Daily

Mary

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