Starting today, everyone can remove the password from their Microsoft account, and use other methods to sign in. The company rolled out the capability to enterprise users earlier in 2021 and plans to remove it from enterprise accounts completely in the near future.
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Instead of having a complicated password that you need to change often or save within a password manager, Microsoft has said that you will be able to use Windows Hello, a security key, SMS, email codes or Microsoft Authenticator. Using these login methods will allow access to Outlook, OneDrive, Microsoft Family Safety, and even Xbox Series X/S without a password. It is planning to roll out the feature to all users over the next couple of weeks before the launch of Windows 11.
To activate this feature, you need to install the Authenticator app and link it to your account first. Then you can go to you Account Settings, then Advanced Security Options and Additional Security. Then then find the option to deactivate your password and set your account to the ‘passwordless’ option. Then, follow the prompts and approve a notification on the Authenticator app to seal the deal.
Of course, you can re-activate your password or set a new one at any time. Microsoft says that other login methods are a lot more convenient, though, and even more secure.
“Since attackers only need a single password to breach an account and start infiltrating an organization, it’s alarming that one in 100 people “protect” a critical account with easily guessed passwords. The most common passwords from 2011, such as 123456, abc123, and iloveyou, are still on the list of top 20 (worst) passwords!
In the past decade, the industry has championed two-step verification, which can reduce the risk of compromise by 99.9%. Verifying identity with a password plus an additional factor has helped, but hackers are already starting to bypass the second step. As long as passwords are still part of the equation, they’re vulnerable,” said Microsoft.
