In recent years, Microsoft has made significant strides in enhancing its security measures, particularly following a series of notable missteps. This year alone, the tech giant has addressed hundreds of security vulnerabilities across its diverse range of software and services.
Advancing Security Practices
However, Microsoft’s commitment extends beyond merely patching security flaws. The company is actively advocating for improved security practices, emphasizing the adoption of biometric security through Windows Hello and promoting the use of passkeys as a more secure alternative to traditional passwords. Notably, Microsoft has finally enabled passkeys for consumer accounts this year, marking a significant shift in their security strategy.
In a recent announcement, Microsoft revealed that Windows 11 will now support third-party passkeys, further bolstering overall security measures. This enhancement was detailed in a blog post on the Windows Developer platform, where Microsoft shared that they have updated the Windows 11 API to facilitate the integration of third-party passkeys. Collaborations with well-known password management services like 1Password and Bitwarden are underway to ensure seamless functionality within the Windows ecosystem.
As part of this security update, Microsoft has also revamped the Windows Hello experience, making it more user-friendly. Users will now receive prompts when visiting websites that support passkeys, allowing them to choose how they wish to save their passkey—either to their Microsoft account or another preferred location.
Anticipation is building for further security developments from Microsoft, especially with the upcoming Authenticate conference scheduled for October 14 to 16, where more insights are expected to be shared.
Further reading: Why you should ditch passwords for passkeys
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC för Alla and was translated and localized from Swedish.
