Microsoft now allows you to remove passwords from Microsoft accounts to adopt a password-free future. Starting today, the software giant will allow consumers to sign in to Microsoft accounts with their Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key, or an SMS / email verification code instead of a password.
The new option comes just months after Microsoft began implementing password-free authentication for business users in March to help people adapt to the reality of remote work. “When I think about security, I think you have to protect your whole life,” says Vasu Jakkal, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of security, compliance and identity, in an interview with The Verge. “It’s no longer enough to just think about work or home and anything in between.”
Microsoft has been working towards a passwordless future for years and the pandemic has only accelerated things. “When you have digital transformation and companies have to move away overnight … the number of digital surfaces has increased exponentially,” Jakkal explains. “The number of attack surfaces has increased exponentially, so it was an important factor for us to accelerate many of our security initiatives.”
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Today is an important milestone for Microsoft’s password-free ambitions, after the company activated security keys in 2018 and left Windows 10 without a password in 2019. “We’ve been implementing this at Microsoft and almost 100 percent of Microsoft is now without a password, “says Jakkal. More than 200 million commercial customers already use the password-free option and Jakkal is optimistic about adoption among consumers.
It is also a relatively simple process to remove your password. You must have the Microsoft Authenticator mobile application installed and linked to your personal Microsoft account. Once done, you can visit account.microsoft.com and choose advanced security options, and then enable passwordless accounts in the additional security section. You’ll then approve the change from the Authenticator app and be password-free. You can always reverse the change and add a password to your Microsoft account in the future.
The benefits of password-free authentication are very clear. Most people create their own passwords and it is often a challenge to create something that is secure and memorable without relying on a password manager. People often also reuse their passwords, allowing attackers to quickly sign in to a variety of compromised accounts after a certain organization is targeted and passwords are set aside.
Google, Apple and others are also working to reduce reliance on passwords. Google Chrome lets you sign in without a password, and Apple iOS 15 and macOS Monterey updates include an iCloud passkey feature, an attempt to replace passwords with a more secure login process.