Microsoft plans to greatly improve the passkey support it offers in Windows 11 soon. The redesigned Windows Hello experience will allow users to choose how they want to store their keys, and they can sync these keys to their Microsoft accounts as well as store them with other key providers such as 1Password, Bitwarden, and more.
A new API for third-party password and key managers will allow developers to integrate directly into the Windows 11 experience. This way, you’ll be able to authenticate on your PC using a key from your mobile device. It’s currently possible to authenticate with QR codes or other methods via mobile devices in some apps, but with full support from Microsoft, the key experience on Windows will be much improved.
Microsoft is also redesigning the Windows Hello prompt and adding the option to sync your keys to your Microsoft account or store them elsewhere. Once you complete the one-time setup process, you’ll be able to authenticate across multiple Windows 11 devices with a key via facial recognition, fingerprint, or PIN.
These new key features will first be available to Windows Insiders “in the coming months.” Therefore, it will take some time for all users to see this new key experience. Microsoft plans to share more details about this new and improved key support during Windows security sessions at next week’s Authenticate 2024 conference.
With the opportunities provided by the new API, third-party developers will now be able to access Windows 11 more easily. This will offer a more compatible authentication experience, especially between mobile devices and PCs. Instead of workarounds with QR codes, Microsoft’s fully integrated key support will offer users a significant advantage in terms of security.
This innovation offered by Microsoft will allow users to exchange data more securely between different devices. The importance of the key system has increased, especially in this period when security vulnerabilities in password management are frequently brought to the agenda. The innovations brought by Windows 11 in this regard will be of great benefit to both individual and corporate users.
With the renewed Windows Hello interface, users will be able to manage all their keys from a single place. This will allow users to easily switch between different applications and services and speed up their transactions without having to perform a new authentication process each time. At the same time, they will be able to be protected with stronger security layers.
New details about Windows 11 will be shared at Authenticate 2024
In summary, Windows 11 users will have a more secure and convenient experience with this new key system. The details that Microsoft will share at the Authenticate 2024 conference will provide more information about how widely these new features will be used.