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Google passkeys for Chrome and Android

Credit: Google

If you’ve been paying attention to cybersecurity lately, you’ve probably heard mention of passkeys. Google is already rolling them out, and they may be poised to change how we secure the internet — but what are passkeys, exactly? And are they any better than the password logins we’ve been using for decades?

What is a passkey?

Passkeys are all about ditching password logins to avoid their weaknesses (more on those later). Instead, an authenticator such as a phone OS keychain or a separate password manager generates a pair of cryptographic keys, granting you access to other apps and websites. You still need to verify your identity through the authenticator, of course, which probably means a master password, with optional facial or fingerprint recognition to speed things up.