Windows 11 Test Adds Fingerprint or Face Signups: Ditching or Expanding Passkeys?

With demand for security at an all-time high, Windows is expanding its abilities to allow users to sign in to their accounts with the help of fingerprints or face. This comes as the company is trying to replace passwords once and for all.

New Feature Replaces Simple Passwords, Making It Harder for Hackers to Take Advantage Of

Although passwords are at the frontline of security, they also come with multiple flaws, especially when one password is being used for multiple accounts. Passwords can also be hard to remember as some people misplace them or forget the right case or sequence.

What's more is that some people are accustomed to use simple passwords, which make them vulnerable to hacking. According to the story by The Verge, this is something Microsoft is planning to fix as it aims to add fingerprint or face sign-in options.

This comes from a recent Insider Preview Build (23486), which allows users to use their Windows Hello natively. This means that users can finally create and sign-in to supported apps without any passkeys required.

The Additional Sign-In Measures Include the Use of a PIN, Fingerprint, or Face Scan

Now, users can use a PIN, fingerprint, or face scan to log into their accounts. It was also noted that despite Microsoft Edge already having support for passkeys' underlying the Web Authentication standard for a long time, the new feature would bring the ability to Windows Hello, making it much easier for users to access via operating system level.

The move by Microsoft follows Apple, which recently added the ability for users to log into their iOS, iPadOS, and macOS with passkey support. Google also previously announced that it would be adding this feature to Android and its Chrome browser back in October.

An article by Bleeping Computer revealed that they tested out the Windows Hello functionality and stated that it was able to work with both Best Buy and Microsoft accounts. It also noted that Google didn't seem to be offering users the ability for them to sign in with the help of passkeys once created.

The Process Simplifies the Sign-In Steps for Users, Making It More Secure and Convenient

These particular processes show how the passkey rollout was complicated for a user's device, browser, and web service. It was also noted that the feature still needed some work regarding how users sign in through the new method.

As explained in the article, this would provide not just a more secure but also a more convenient way for users to sign into their accounts. Without the need for passwords, users will be able to log into their accounts in a more secure way.

However, it might be better not to replace passwords altogether as the feature might still experience glitches and usually the last form of security still falls back to passwords. Should using your fingerprints or face recognition not work, most sign-in practices fall back to the use of passwords.