Passkeys: Microsoft forces new customers to log in without a password
Microsoft is continuing to abolish passwords. New Microsoft accounts are now passwordless by default.
Microsoft: New customers are offered a passwordless option by default when creating an account.
(Image: Microsoft)
To mark World Password Day on May 1, Microsoft has announced the end of passwords for new customers. Accordingly, the company has renamed "World Password Day" to "World Passkey Day" in its announcement.
Microsoft account: Passkey instead of password
For existing customers, nothing will change initially: if they still use a password for their Microsoft account, they can continue to use it. However, they have had the option of deleting their password and switching to passwordless logins such as passkeys for a while now.
To make the switch easier, the manufacturer announced "modern, simpler login and sign-in dialogs" for Windows, Xbox, Microsoft 365 and other offerings in March 2025. The new login logic introduced with the redesign is intended to enable a better process for passwordless and key-free use.
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Passwordless: Microsoft wants to simplify login
New users will be offered several password-free options for signing in to their account and will never have to enter a password. Instead of entering a password, they will be offered "only more secure methods such as passkeys, push notifications and security keys" for logging in, the company writes.
Microsoft also explains that the company is simplifying the sign-in process with more secure options. Instead of showing users all possible login methods, the system automatically recognizes the best available method for a particular account and sets this as the default.
For example, if a password and a one-time code have been set up for an account, the user will be prompted to log in with the one-time code using the Authenticator app instead of the stored password. The next time they log in, users will be asked to log in with a passkey, according to Microsoft.
(afl)
