When Are Passkeys Coming?

When Are Passkeys Coming?#

Passkeys have already started to roll out as a replacement for passwords, with major tech companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft announcing support for them in 2022. The first broad availability came with iOS 16 in 2022, marking a significant milestone in user authentication.

Passkeys are gradually replacing passwords, with full support from major tech companies since 2022.
Apple’s iOS 16 was the first platform to broadly support passkeys.
Google and Microsoft are also rolling out passkeys across their ecosystems, making them the future of secure authentication.

The History and Evolution of Passkeys#

Passkeys are a product of the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) Alliance, an industry consortium founded in 2012 with the goal of developing authentication standards that reduce the reliance on passwords. The FIDO Alliance recognized the vulnerabilities associated with passwords, such as weak credentials and phishing attacks, and sought to create a more secure and user-friendly alternative.

The Role of Major Tech Companies#

In 2022, passkeys gained significant momentum when Apple, Google, and Microsoft - three of the biggest names in tech - announced their commitment to supporting passkeys across their platforms. This was a huge moment, as it signaled the beginning of a widespread shift away from passwords.

Apple: Introduced passkeys in iOS 16, allowing users to authenticate securely without passwords. This marked the first broad availability of passkeys and set the stage for their adoption across other platforms.
Google: Followed closely with support for passkeys in its Android operating system and Chrome browser, making the technology accessible to billions of users worldwide.
Microsoft: Integrated passkeys into Windows, enabling secure authentication for users.

Current Status and Future Outlook#

As of now, passkeys are being gradually rolled out across various platforms. While the transition from passwords to passkeys will take time, the groundwork has been laid for a future where passwords are obsolete. The FIDO Alliance and its partners are working to ensure that passkeys become the standard for secure online authentication.

2022: The first wave of passkey support was introduced, primarily by Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
2023 and beyond: More applications are expected to adopt passkeys, with ongoing improvements to interoperability and user experience.

Passkeys are here, and they are the future of user authentication. The question is not "if" but "when" they will fully replace passwords. With continued support from major tech companies and the ongoing efforts of the FIDO Alliance, it’s only a matter of time before passkeys become the norm.