Taking a page out of Apple’s book, Google is trying to make logging in across devices much easier via passkeys.
Previously, Google only allowed passkeys on the Google Password Manager for Android. In a blog post posted Thursday, the company announced that it’s extending the passkeys feature on its proprietary Password Manager to cover your desktop, too, hoping to “[move] us one step closer to a passwordless future.”
The update has already been rolled out to Windows, macOS, and Linux, with ChromeOS being in beta testing at the moment. Support for iOS is reportedly in the works too, though Google has only said that it will be “coming soon,” according to Tom’s Guide,
While you could previously use the passkeys on Google Password Manager on other devices, you were required to scan a QR code using your Android device. This extra layer has now been removed. To sign in to sites on a desktop now, you can simply use fingerprint or face lock, which is not only much quicker than entering a password, but considerably safer, too. Though it’s obvious that Google isn’t only trying to make logging in faster and easier, but also making sure that we’re using it to sign in across all new sites and apps.
Once your passkeys are synced across your devices, all you need is your biometrics to sign in. But to create passkeys, access saved ones on your devices, or start using passkeys on a new device, Google will require you to input a six-digit end-to-end encrypted PIN that it claims “can’t be accessed by anyone, not even Google.” This will add an extra layer of security to the biometrics login. You’d also be able to unlock your Android screen to use passkeys on a new device for the first time.
The six-digit PIN option is what’s available by default. If you’re not comfortable with the thought of all your precious data being behind six digits, you can go into PIN options and create a longer alpha-numeric PIN.
This update reminded me of Apple making logging in across devices easier with the introduction of the Passwords app announced for its new software, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and MacOS 15, at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Just like Google, Apple also already managed passwords via its iCloud Keychain, but decided it was time for a dedicated password manager app to make the process more efficient, especially since Keychain was notorious for being glitchy.