Overview
- GMX and Web.de announced on Monday that they have turned on Passkeys so users can log in with a fingerprint, Face ID or a device PIN instead of typing a password.
- The Passkey system creates a public‑private key pair where the public key is stored by the service and the private key remains on the user's device or in a compatible password manager, which prevents attackers from stealing reusable credentials via fake login pages.
- Users can enable Passkeys in account settings by choosing a smartphone or tablet, scanning a QR code on a PC and confirming setup with biometrics or a PIN, and the feature works across Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and supported password managers.
- The services say roughly 38 million users in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are covered by the rollout, and the traditional password login remains available to help with lost devices or account recovery.
- The move follows wider industry adoption of passkey standards and could cut phishing losses and support easier logins, but it increases the importance of device security and clear recovery plans for users.