Microsoft will enhance Windows 11 to support Third-Party Passkey Providers

Microsoft is advancing in its mission to create a passwordless future. The company is working to make passkeys a more native experience on Windows 11, with support for third-party passkey providers.

Following the launch of passkeys in Windows 11 earlier this year, Microsoft has announced it will soon allow third-party passkey providers to integrate with the operating system. That means users will soon be able to seamlessly use passkeys created with a third-party provider on Windows 11 and vice versa.

In a blog post, Microsoft says it’s working with many passkey providers to bring this capability to Windows 11. Among the companies involved are 1Password, Auth0, Axcess, Bitwarden, Dashlane, Keeper Security, LogMeIn, NordPass, Okta, Passportal, Saaspass, Secret Double Octopus, Stytch, and Yubico.

With this update, Microsoft is working to create an easy, cross-platform passkey user experience that prioritizes user choice and control. We’ve been working with industry partners to ensure that Windows Hello, the Windows passkey platform, and passkey provider apps work well together.

Microsoft says the new passkey provider support will be part of the Windows Insider program in the coming months.

In addition to third-party passkey provider support, Microsoft is updating the built-in passkey experience on Windows 11. The company is introducing a new “reimagined” passkey setup flow, making it easier to set up and use passkeys with a Windows Hello-compatible device (e.g., a webcam or fingerprint reader).

When you navigate to a website that supports passkeys, the Windows Hello passkey experience will pop up to help you create a new passkey or effortlessly sign in with your existing ones.

You can save your passkey with Windows Hello and sync it to use it on another Windows 11 device. Learning to use passkeys in Windows 11 is not exactly hard, and it can be a more secure way to access the operating system.

What do you think about it? Is this a good way to stay protected, or are the passwords still the norm?