Microsoft has introduced improved passkey support in the Windows 11 operating system. The integration allows you to use an alternative to passwords through popular credential managers, starting with 1Password.
Microsoft has introduced improved passkey support in the Windows 11 operating system. The integration allows you to use an alternative to passwords through popular credential managers, starting with 1Password.
The feature became available as part of the Insider Preview Build 26200.5670 (KB5060838) update for Windows 11 on the Development Channel, TechRadar reports .
The first Microsoft partner was 1Password, which implemented the new feature via the Credential Manager API — a special plugin that allows you to store and use passkeys in Windows 11. To test the feature, you need to install the beta version of 1Password, enable support in the system settings (Services → Passkeys → Advanced options), verify your identity via Windows Hello, and then use existing or create new passkeys.
Users have long complained that Windows lacks a convenient system-wide implementation of passkeys and relies on third-party sites or apps. The update overcomes this limitation and makes passwordless login a more native part of the Microsoft ecosystem.
Passkey is a new approach to security that replaces passwords with cryptographic keys. They are phishing-resistant and not stored in plain text on servers. Microsoft, Apple, and Google are pushing this standard as the future of authentication.
At the same time, the company continues its move away from traditional passwords. Starting in August 2025, the Microsoft Authenticator app will permanently stop supporting saved passwords and autofill. Instead, new Microsoft accounts will automatically switch to passkeys.
Recall that it recently became known that Microsoft is updating the crash notification mechanism in Windows 11: instead of a blue background with a sad smiley face, users will see a black screen with minimalistic text.
