If you've signed into your phone with your fingerprint lately, unlocked your laptop with your face, or used a PIN instead of typing a password, you've already experienced the technology that's changing how we log into everything else.
It's called a passkey, and you've probably started seeing websites and apps ask if you'd like to create one.
At first glance, it feels like just another security feature. In reality, it's one of the biggest improvements to online security we've seen in years.
Why? Because passkeys solve one of the biggest problems businesses continue to face: passwords.
Even today, we still see employees reusing passwords, choosing weak ones, writing them down, or accidentally entering them into convincing phishing websites. Most account compromises still begin with someone giving away a password they didn't realize they were handing over.
Passkeys change that entirely.
So...what exactly is a passkey?
Think of a passkey as replacing your password with the security that's already built into your computer or phone.
Instead of remembering a password, you simply unlock your device the same way you normally do. That might be your fingerprint, your face, or the PIN you already use every day.
Behind the scenes, your device creates a unique digital key that's tied specifically to that website or application. The important part is that the secret part of that key never leaves your device. The website only receives information that confirms it's really you logging in.
That means there's no password being sent across the internet and nothing valuable for a hacker to steal.
The technology is based on the FIDO security standard, which has been adopted by Microsoft, Google, Apple, and many other major technology companies.
Why passkeys are such a big security improvement
Passwords have always shared the same basic weakness.
You know them.
The website knows them.
Anyone who tricks you into typing them knows them too.
Passkeys work differently.
If you accidentally visit a fake Microsoft login page that looks identical to the real one, your passkey simply won't work there. Since there isn't a password to type, there's nothing for the attacker to capture.
That's a huge deal because phishing attacks continue to be one of the most common ways businesses get compromised.
Passkeys also eliminate several other common problems:
- There's no password to reuse across multiple websites.
- There's no complicated password to remember.
- There's no password database that attackers can steal during a data breach.
- Every passkey is automatically unique to the website where it was created.
Simply put, many of the security headaches we've lived with for years disappear.
You may already be using them
The nice thing about passkeys is that this isn't some futuristic technology that's years away.
Microsoft, Google, and Apple already support them.
Many banks do too.
Password managers have adopted them.
More business software providers are adding support every month.
If you use Microsoft 365, passkeys are already available through Microsoft Entra. Users can sign in using Microsoft Authenticator, a compatible security key, or even their own device.
For many organizations, there isn't anything additional to purchase before getting started.
They're faster too
Security usually comes with extra steps.
This is one of the rare cases where stronger security is actually more convenient.
Instead of typing a password, waiting for a text message, opening an authenticator app, entering a code, and finally getting logged in, a passkey typically lets you authenticate with a quick fingerprint or face scan.
Microsoft reports that signing in with a synced passkey can take only a few seconds compared to roughly a minute for a traditional password combined with multi factor authentication.
That may not sound like much, but across an entire company logging in every day, those saved seconds add up quickly.
Should your business start using passkeys?
For most businesses, we'd say yes.
That doesn't mean you need to eliminate passwords tomorrow or completely change how everyone signs in overnight.
A gradual rollout usually makes the most sense.
Start with the accounts that matter most. Administrator accounts, finance users, executives, and anyone with elevated access are usually the best candidates.
From there, employees can begin adding passkeys alongside their existing login methods until everyone is comfortable using them.
One important step is making sure users have a backup method available. If someone's only passkey lives on a phone that's lost or replaced, you'll want another approved device or recovery option already configured.
Like most security improvements, a little planning goes a long way.
A few things to keep in mind
Passkeys are becoming the new standard, but they aren't supported everywhere just yet.
Some older business applications still require traditional passwords, so most companies will use a combination of passwords and passkeys for a while.
They're also designed for individual users. If your organization still has shared user accounts or multiple people logging into the same account, those situations may require a different approach.
As software vendors continue updating their products, we'll likely see passkey support become more common across business applications.
What this means for your business
If your business uses Microsoft 365, you may already have access to passkeys through Microsoft Entra at no additional cost. Other platforms continue to add support as well, so you'll likely see passkeys become more common over the next few years.
That doesn't mean you need to replace every password overnight. Like many technology changes, this is something that can be introduced gradually as your business and the applications you use are ready.
If you're curious whether passkeys make sense for your organization, we're happy to help you understand your options and determine where they fit into your overall security strategy. Every business is a little different, and the right approach depends on the systems you use and how your team works.
One thing is clear: passkeys represent a significant step forward in making secure logins both stronger and easier for everyday users. As more websites and business applications adopt them, they're likely to become a normal part of signing in online.
