Microsoft Advances Passwordless Future with Passkeys for Over 1 Billion Users

The company is rolling out a new sign-in process across its platforms, making passkeys the default authentication method by the end of April 2025.

Microsoft is urging users to delete traditional passwords entirely, citing increased security risks and the rise in password-related attacks, which now occur at a rate of 7,000 per second.
Passkeys, tied to physical devices and secured by biometrics or PINs, are being introduced as the default login method across Outlook, Xbox, Windows, and Microsoft 365.
The new sign-in experience simplifies account creation by replacing passwords with email verification and one-time codes, followed by passkey setup.
Millions of users have already transitioned to passkeys, with Microsoft emphasizing the elimination of passwords to protect against phishing and brute-force attacks.
The FIDO Alliance has praised Microsoft's initiative as a pivotal step in the global shift toward phishing-resistant authentication, with passkeys projected to dominate within two years.