Password is still become the basic computer security for years now, but it’s not the most secure to protect from data leaks on internet. Today, Google is testing a new security feature called a “passkey,” and pretty soon, you will be able to use it on your Android device and other devices that run Chrome.
Unlike a password, a passkey is randomly generated by an algorithm and can’t be reused. It’s similar to the password autofill; users need to confirm if they want to create a new one for a particular site and a particular account, then use whatever method they use to unlock their phone (e.g., the fingerprint reader).
Once that is done, the passkey will be synchronized across all your devices using Google’s Password Manager, so when you lose the phone, you still have access to all accounts.
When you use a passkey, the password will be stored encrypted; just confirm the account that you gonna use and authenticate with the fingerprint reader. The cool thing is users can use the phone to sign into nearby devices, e.g., if your computer doesn’t have a fingerprint reader, you can use the one on your phone.
Safari on macOS already has this feature, so when you want to visit a site that uses passkeys, it will pop up a QR code – scan it with your Android phone and you’re in.
The passkey is now available on the Google Play Services beta channel and Chrome Canary. But once it is released, users can use it across any platform, e.g., using an iPhone to sign into a site in Chrome on Windows.