Microsoft Will Delete Your Passwords in One Month

Summary

Starting this month, you'll no longer be able to use Microsoft Authenticator's autofill password function, a move the company is making to transition from passwords to passkeys. Last month, Microsoft stopped letting you save new passwords in the app.Next month is the biggest change, all your saved passwords will no longer be in the Authenticator app. You'll have to use passkeys instead -- such as a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition. Attila Tomaschek, CNET's software senior writer and digital security expert, believes passkeys are a safer alternative to the risky password habits that 49% of US adults have, according to a recent CNET survey. "Passwords can be cracked, whereas passkeys need both the public and the locally stored private key to authenticate users, which can help mitigate risks like falling victim to phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks," said Tomaschek. Using the same password for several accounts or adding personal hints can be a convenient way to remember your login. But it's a big risk for scammers, identity theft and fraud. Here's more on Microsoft's plan for eliminating passwords and how to make the switch to passkeys before August. Microsoft Authenticator will stop supporting passwordsMicrosoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all of your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition such as Windows Hello, or other biometric data, like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you're logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your Microsoft accounts.In June, Microsoft stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator, but here's a timeline of other changes you can expect, according to Microsoft.July 2025: You won't be able to use the autofill password function.August 2025: You'll no longer be able to use saved passwords.If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them ...