Once you’re set up with your passkey, Google estimates that logging in will be up to 40% faster. Google isn’t the first company to start encouraging the switch to passkeys, either, and passkeys have been an integral part of Android for quite some time. We use them to unlock our phones, but also to access sensitive apps like banking apps, PayPal, or Shopify.
Passwords are, unfortunately, fairly easy to steal through various phishing attempts or malware that ends up on your mobile device. In addition, as the general rule of thumb is that you should be using a different password for each account, it’s next to impossible to remember them all. Google lets you store passwords within Chrome, and there are digital password managers like 1Password, but none of them are flawless. In the end, using a face scan or a fingerprint might be one of the safest methods to use.
If you’d like to opt out of passkeys and stick to passwords, you can. Google details in its announcement that you simply have to enter your Google Settings and toggle “Skip password when possible” to off. However, given the increasing number of cybersecurity threats, it might be a good idea to keep it on and give passkeys a try.