Google wants you to stop using passwords for Gmail — here’s what to use instead

If you’re still signing into Gmail with a password, it might be time for a change. Not because you forgot it again, but because it may be putting your account at risk.

In a recent blog post, Google’s VP of Privacy, Safety & Security, Evan Kotsovinos, said the company is now “strongly encouraging” its ~2 billion users to switch from passwords to passkeys—a login method that ditches the typing and uses your fingerprint or face ID instead.

It's part of Google’s broader push to phase out passwords completely which as Kotsovinos put it are, “painful to maintain and prone to phishing.” And he’s not wrong. Google says email is still one of the most targeted accounts for hackers, especially with phishing attacks now affecting more than 60% of U.S. users.

Google launches new Passkey feature for its products

Google has launched a new passkey feature that aims to revolutionize the way people sign in to apps and websites without using passwords. Described as easier to use and more secure than passwords, passkeys let users sign in to Google apps and sites the same way they unlock their devices,

TechloyEmmanuel Oyedeji

Add that to the nearly 50% of U.S. adults who, according to an Ipsos study, still rely on weak or recycled passwords (think birthdays, pet names, or the dreaded “12345”), and it’s easy to see why Google is doubling down on passkeys.

Passkeys, you see, work differently. Instead of relying on something you remember (and might reuse), they use cryptographic keys stored on your device. That makes them a lot harder to phish or leak, and much easier to use across phones, laptops, and tablets, especially if you’re already syncing with Google Password Manager or iCloud.

Plus, Google isn’t the only one pushing this shift. Apple already supports passkeys across iOS and macOS with iCloud Keychain. Microsoft is doing the same on Windows, even recently announcing that it’s phasing out password features from its Authenticator app entirely.

How to switch from password to passkey on your Google account

• Head to 'Mange your Google Account' → Security
• Under 'How you sign in to Google', choose Passkeys and security keys → Create a passkey.
• Then follow the biometric prompt. That’s it.

Google’s not forcing the switch (yet), but it’s clear where things are heading. And if your Gmail is the key to your digital life, ditching your childhood nickname plus “123” might not be such a bad idea.

Microsoft is removing password features in Authenticator

You won’t be able to save new logins, use autofill, or even access your old passwords.

TechloyKelechi Edeh