Hotkeys (Access keys) are the most interesting alternative to using passwords, and Microsoft has taken the next step in their adoption with an announcement Compatibility for all your consumer accounts.

Big tech companies are promoting “access keys” to comply a promised future without obnoxious but still necessary passwords. Microsoft’s World Password Day 2024 announcement, which the industry celebrated yesterday, is no coincidence. And as a replacement come passcodes, which offer a more secure and convenient alternative to passwords by allowing the use of personal identification numbers (PINs) or biometric authentication such as fingerprints or facial recognition to log into websites and apps.

Use of Access Keys significantly reduces the risk of data leakage, as they provide protection against phishing attacks, prevent theft and unauthorized access. They work with unique codes (authentication data WebAuthn also known as FIDO credentials) associated with specific devices such as computers, tablets or smartphones. This is another of its advantages, because unlike passwords, which are stored on servers (and therefore can be hacked or intercepted), access keys are more secure because they are stored locally on devices.

All major service providers have confirmed their commitment to this security feature, with Google for example also saying in yesterday’s Password Day announcement that they already protect 400 million of your accounts with access codes. E-commerce giant Amazon added support last fall, and many of us are using it.

In Microsoft’s case, it has already implemented passkeys in Windows 11 to secure logins to websites and apps using biometric authentication systems like Windows Hello. Now he is taking support to another level by announcing this all Microsoft consumer accounts will support the use of access keys. This support will extend to signing in to a Microsoft account on Windows as well as Google and Apple platforms.

If you have a Microsoft ID account, you can set your device to support passcodes from this website. After that you canChoose how to unlock it with a PIN, face or fingerprint. At this point you can Use access keys to sign in to your Microsoft account, including services like Microsoft 365 and Copilot, on desktop and mobile browsers.

The company says it will add support for password logins to Microsoft’s mobile apps in the coming weeks. It will also soon add support for device-bound access keys in the Microsoft Authenticator apps for iOS and Android as a public preview for enterprise customers. We expect access keys and web credentials (FIDO credentials) to be increasingly supported, as a standard approach, more secure and usable than typical passwords.