The password handling process for the Microsoft Authenticator application has already been changed, but it will stop supporting passwords completely starting on August 1. It no longer allows users to create new usernames in June. It stopped using the login password feature in July.

Multi-factor identification and password management have been supported by Authenticator for years. However, it will eventually serve as a new house for your passkeys, such as a PIN, biometric, or facial recognition.

That’s never a bad thing, according to Attila Tomaschek, CNET’s mature writer for software and expert on online security. &nbsp,

Passkeys may be cracked, whereas passkeys require both the consumer and the locally stored secret code to authenticate users, according to Tomaschek, which can help reduce the chances of phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing assaults.

According to a CNET survey, passkeys eliminate the dangerous password practices that 49 % of US adults practice, such as using the same login for several accounts or using specific hints. However, those helpful tips can increase the risk of identity theft, fraud, and scams. &nbsp,

What should you do before Microsoft’s Aug. 1 walk if you’re a fan of Authenticator but aren’t sure where to start. &nbsp,

When did password support be discontinued by Microsoft Authenticator?

Microsoft Authenticator stores your credentials and enables the signing into all of your Microsoft transactions using a PIN, facial recognition like Panels Hello, or other biological information like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in a variety of ways, including confirming that you’re logged in if you’ve forgotten your password, or implementing two-factor identification as an additional layer of security for your records. The firm stopped allowing users to add credentials to Authenticator in June.

You won’t be able to use the login login feature starting this month. Additionally, saved credentials will no longer be accessible for use after the following quarter.

You can save passwords in Microsoft Edge if you still prefer to employ passkeys. But, CNET experts advise using passkeys during this change. Instead of relying on users themselves to create their own ( often weak or reused ) passwords to access their online accounts, “passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users,” Tomaschek said.

Why are passkeys preferable to credentials?

What exactly is a password, then? The Fast Identity Online Alliance uses genetic or PIN verification to access your account and validate your personality, according to a login created by the Fast Identity Online Alliance. Consider logging into your bill using your fingerprint or Face ID. That’s usually safer than entering a password that’s difficult to guess or prone to phishing attacks.

Passkeys are not kept on machines like credentials are. They are merely saved on your personal system, though. More quickly, this eliminates the need for a password manager and helps you remember your passwords.

How to configure a password in Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft stated in a blog post on May 1 that it will automatically choose the best login to use as your default sign-in solution. We’ll enable you to sign in with your one-time password instead of your password if you have a login and a “one-time code” set up on your profile. You’ll be asked to engage a login once you’ve signed in. The blog article states that you will then be asked to sign in with your passkey when you next do so.

Start your Authenticator app on your phone to set up a new login. Find” Set up a password” from the drop-down menu on your profile. You’ll be asked to use your current certificates to register in. You may set up the password once you are logged in.