As part of the broader shift towards enhanced web security, Google says that it will begin prompting more users to add passkey access to their accounts, as it looks to move away from traditional password usage.

Google initially launched support for passkey access back in May, and now, it’s looking to make it a bigger consideration for more users.

As per Google:

“Earlier this year we rolled out support for passkeys, a simpler and more secure way to sign into your accounts online. We’ve received really positive feedback from our users, so today we’re making passkeys even more accessible by offering them as the default option across personal Google Accounts.”

Passkeys have become a bigger focus of late, with the more advanced security measures, facilitated via on-device Face and Touch ID (primarily), providing a safer, faster log-on process, that’s less susceptible to hacking.

Several social platforms are now also moving to support passkey access, including LinkedIn, X, and TikTok, which have all announced their next steps on passkey protection in recent months. 

Yet, at the same time, Google’s not moving to phase out traditional passwords just yet.

Adoption of passkeys is likely to take some time, so Google will support both options for the time being, while users that do activate passkeys will also be able to opt to use their traditional password as it moves to maximize passkey take-up.

It’s a logical move towards a safer, more streamlined access option, with advanced connectivity tools now providing more ways to keep people’s accounts safe.

Really, if you can, you should be looking to enable passkey access where possible, which eventually will become the norm, then a requirement for most apps.

You can read more about Google’s move towards passkey access here.