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Passkeys, the digital credentials that let you sign into apps and websites without entering a password, are getting easier to use for Chrome users.
Starting today, you can save passkeys to Google’s password manager, Google Password Manager, built into Chrome on Windows, macOS, and Linux so that your passkeys automatically sync across all your signed-in devices. The Password Manager client on Android can also now automatically sync passkeys, and syncing support for iOS is coming soon. (On ChromeOS, Passkey syncing is in beta.)
Syncing passkeys via Google Password Manager.Image Credits: Google
As an added layer of protection, Google’s adding PINs to Password Manager. When you start using passkeys on a new device, you’ll need to know either your PIN or the screen lock code for your Android device. You can set up a six-digit PIN or opt for a longer alphanumeric PIN.
The new PIN system in Password Manager.Image Credits: Google
“These recovery factors will allow you to securely access your saved passkeys and sync new ones across your computers and Android devices,” Chrome product manager Chirag Desai writes in a blog post.
Passkey usage is on the rise. According to the FIDO Alliance, the industry organization that develops authentication standards, 53% of people have enabled passkeys on at least one of their accounts and passkeys are now supported by 20% of the world’s top 100 websites.
In 2023, Google made passkeys the default sign-in method for all users. More recently, the tech giant brought passkey support to its Advanced Protection Program, a program for people at high risk of targeted attacks, such as politicians and candidates, ahead of the U.S. presidential election.
