Microsoft is going passwordless by default - here's how to set up a passkey

At World Passkey Day 2026, Microsoft confirmed the direction of travel: brand-new Microsoft accounts are now passwordless by default, and Entra passkeys on Windows let you create a device-bound passkey on a personal PC using Windows Hello. Microsoft is also removing weak fallbacks - security questions disappear as a reset option in early 2027.

A passkey replaces your password with your device plus a fingerprint, face or PIN. Because there is no secret to type, there is nothing for a fake login page to steal and nothing an infostealer can lift from your browser. It is both easier and safer.

What to do: you do not have to wait. Sign in at account.microsoft.com, go to Security → Advanced security options, and add a passkey with Windows Hello. Do the same for the accounts that matter most - Google, Apple, PayPal, your bank - most now support passkeys. Keep one backup sign-in method in case you lose the device.

Passwordless is the biggest upgrade you can make to your account security this year. Tendvane's Privacy check shows whether your sign-in accounts are set up sensibly - and flags any account with no password at all - so you can see where you stand before you switch.