Latest news with #MicrosoftAuthenticator
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Microsoft is wiping your saved passwords on August 1: Here's what you need to know
Starting August 1, Microsoft is quietly pulling the plug on one of its more low-key features: the password manager, built into the Microsoft Authenticator app. If you've been storing your non-Microsoft passwords there, you'll need to move fast. Once the deadline hits, your stored credentials will be permanently deleted. No recovery, no warnings. Microsoft is wiping your saved passwords starting August 1. This won't affect how you log in to your Microsoft account. Your email, OneDrive, or Teams access isn't going anywhere. What's being killed is the optional password autofill feature inside the Authenticator app, something Microsoft rolled out to help users keep track of logins across websites and apps. If you've used it, your credentials are likely sitting inside that app quietly… until Microsoft wipes them. Why is Microsoft doing this? The company's making a broader push toward passwordless logins. Think facial recognition, fingerprints, PINs, and passkeys. Traditional passwords are the weak link, easy to forget, often reused, and a prime target for phishing attacks. Killing off a feature that relies on old-school password storage helps steer users toward more secure, modern alternatives. It's also a way for Microsoft to streamline Authenticator's purpose. The app already plays a key role in two-factor authentication, but password management is a crowded space with better, dedicated players like 1Password, Dashlane, and Bitwarden. What should you do right now? If you've never used Authenticator to store passwords, you're good. Nothing changes. But if you have, even if it was just to test the feature, open the app now. Microsoft allows you to export your saved passwords, but only before August 1. After that, it's gone. To back things up, go into Authenticator > Settings > Passwords > Export. Save them somewhere secure, or import them into a trusted password manager. Make sure you're also using up-to-date two-factor authentication for critical accounts. The bottom line It's not a flashy update, but this silent shutdown could catch a lot of users off guard, especially if you've come to rely on Microsoft's autofill. Consider this your friendly nudge: take five minutes, check the app, and avoid losing access to key logins just because Microsoft decided to clean house.
CNET
2 days ago
- CNET
MIcrosoft Will Wipe Out Your Passwords on Aug. 1. What to Do Now
Microsoft is getting rid of passwords in less than two weeks. On Aug. 1, the Microsoft Authenticator app will no longer store or manage passwords, which could be a problem for a lot of users. Microsoft Authenticator has been one of the best password managers for years. You were able to save passwords, enable two-factor authentication and auto-fill. The change means that if you're using the Authenticator app as a password manager, you'll need to look for another option soon. And on Aug. 1, Microsoft will move to passkeys instead. Using a passkey as a login means you'll use PINs, fingerprint scans, facial recognition or pattern using a device's lock screen. It's a safer option compared to the risky password habits that 49% of US adults have, based on a CNET survey. If you've been using Authenticator, now's the time to start making changes. Here's what to know about the switch and the best password managers CNET recommends. When will Microsoft Authenticator stop supporting passwords? Microsoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition like Windows Hello, or other biometric data like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you're logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your accounts. In June, the company stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator. Starting this month, you won't be able to use the autofill password function. And next month, you'll no longer be able to use saved passwords. If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them in Microsoft Edge. However, CNET experts recommend adopting passkeys during this transition. "Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords to access their online accounts," Tomaschek said. Why are passkeys a better alternative to passwords? So what exactly is a passkey? It's a credential created by the Fast Identity Online Alliance that uses biometric data or a PIN to verify your identity and access your account. Think about using your fingerprint or Face ID to log into your account. That's generally safer than using a password that is easy to guess or susceptible to a phishing attack. "Passwords can be cracked, whereas passkeys need both the public and the locally stored private key to authenticate users, which can help mitigate risks like falling victim to phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks," said Attila Tomaschek, CNET's software senior writer and digital security expert. Passkeys aren't stored on servers like passwords. Instead, they're stored only on your personal device. More conveniently, this takes the guesswork out of remembering your passwords and the need for a password manager. How to set up a passkey in Microsoft Authenticator Microsoft said in a May 1 blog post that it will automatically detect the best passkey to set up and make that your default sign-in option. "If you have a password and 'one-time code' set up on your account, we'll prompt you to sign in with your one-time code instead of your password. After you're signed in, you'll be prompted to enroll a passkey. Then the next time you sign in, you'll be prompted to sign in with your passkey," according to the blog post. To set up a new passkey, open your Authenticator app on your phone. Tap on your account and select "Set up a passkey." You'll be prompted to log in with your existing credentials. After you're logged in, you can set up the passkey. Other password manager alternatives Since Microsoft will get rid of all of your passwords in two weeks, you'll need a new place to store your passwords safely. Tomaschek has a few of the best password manager recommendations after testing and reviewing several. The top recommendation is Bitwarden for its transparency. It's open-source and audited annually. From a price perspective, the free plan lets you store infinite passwords across unlimited devices. The free plan also includes features most password managers would charge for, including password sharing and a username and password generator. Bitwarden's upgraded plans have other upgraded features that could be worth the cost, too. Personally, Tomaschek has been using 1Password for a while, and he likes the interface and family plan. Even though it's second on the list, Tomaschek says it's just as good as Bitwarden.
CNET
3 days ago
- CNET
Microsoft Will Erase Your Passwords on Aug.1: Do This ASAP
As of Aug. 1, Microsoft will be deleting passwords from its Authenticator app. This means that passwords stored there will no longer be accessible, which could be a problem for a lot of users. Microsoft Authenticator has been one of the best password managers for years, offering options for saved passwords, two-factor authentication and auto-fill. However in just a few short days, all of that is going away as Microsoft moves to passkeys instead. This means that logins will move from remembering specific passwords, to using PINs, fingerprint scans, facial recognition or pattern using a device's lock screen. Using a passkey can make your account safer, and it's a move I'm excited about. I recently uncovered that 49% of US adults have risky password habits that can open the door to scammers getting access to your sensitive data. If you're a fan of Authenticator and not sure where to start before the switch, here are other password managers CNET recommends and steps you should take before August. When will Microsoft Authenticator stop supporting passwords? Microsoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition like Windows Hello, or other biometric data like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you're logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your accounts. In June, the company stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator. Starting this month, you won't be able to use the autofill password function. And next month, you'll no longer be able to use saved passwords. If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them in Microsoft Edge. However, CNET experts recommend adopting passkeys during this transition. "Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords to access their online accounts," Tomaschek said. Why are passkeys a better alternative to passwords? So what exactly is a passkey? It's a credential created by the Fast Identity Online Alliance that uses biometric data or a PIN to verify your identity and access your account. Think about using your fingerprint or Face ID to log into your account. That's generally safer than using a password that is easy to guess or susceptible to a phishing attack. "Passwords can be cracked, whereas passkeys need both the public and the locally stored private key to authenticate users, which can help mitigate risks like falling victim to phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks," said Attila Tomaschek, CNET's software senior writer and digital security expert. Passkeys aren't stored on servers like passwords. Instead, they're stored only on your personal device. More conveniently, this takes the guesswork out of remembering your passwords and the need for a password manager. How to set up a passkey in Microsoft Authenticator Microsoft said in a May 1 blog post that it will automatically detect the best passkey to set up and make that your default sign-in option. "If you have a password and 'one-time code' set up on your account, we'll prompt you to sign in with your one-time code instead of your password. After you're signed in, you'll be prompted to enroll a passkey. Then the next time you sign in, you'll be prompted to sign in with your passkey," according to the blog post. To set up a new passkey, open your Authenticator app on your phone. Tap on your account and select "Set up a passkey." You'll be prompted to log in with your existing credentials. After you're logged in, you can set up the passkey. Other password manager alternatives Since Microsoft will get rid of all of your passwords in two weeks, you'll need a new place to store your passwords safely. Tomaschek has a few of the best password manager recommendations after testing and reviewing several. The top recommendation is Bitwarden for its transparency. It's open-source and audited annually. From a price perspective, the free plan lets you store infinite passwords across unlimited devices. The free plan also includes features most password managers would charge for, including password sharing and a username and password generator. Bitwarden's upgraded plans have other upgraded features that could be worth the cost, too. Personally, Tomaschek has been using 1Password for a while, and he likes the interface and family plan. Even though it's second on the list, Tomaschek says it's just as good as Bitwarden.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Microsoft Plans to Turn Microsoft Authenticator Into an Authenticator
Microsoft has announced changes to its Authenticator app. According to the company's support documentation, the autofill for passwords in the Authenticator app will stop working in July 2025. From August 2025, passwords will no longer be accessible within the app at all. In practice, this means that any passwords not exported or saved elsewhere will be lost after August. Microsoft has already removed the option to add or import new passwords into the app as of last month, though autofill for existing passwords will continue to work through July, as reported by Hacker News. "Starting July 2025, the autofill feature in Authenticator will stop working, and from August 2025, passwords will no longer be accessible in Authenticator," Microsoft now says. Saved passwords and addresses will be synced with users' Microsoft accounts, so they will be available for use in the Edge web browser if it is set as the default autofill provider. Payment information stored in the Authenticator will be deleted after July and will not be moved automatically. If you use Authenticator to manage your passwords, please export your credentials. You can then import them into another service like Apple iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager. All this does not affect passkeys. If you use passkeys for your Microsoft account, you must keep the Authenticator app enabled. If you disable the app, your passkeys will also stop working. The Authenticator app will continue to give users secure one-time codes and passwordless approvals.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Microsoft Authenticator Removes Password Manager, Moves Passwords to Edge
If you're a Microsoft Authenticator user, you may notice that the Passwords section is missing one of its core functions. True to its word from earlier this month, Microsoft has removed the password management portion of the app as it moves toward a password-free future. Passwords and saved addresses that were in the Authenticator app have not been deleted; rather, they've been moved to Microsoft Edge and the Microsoft account page. Microsoft says users can access their passwords and addresses directly through Microsoft Edge, which will now be the primary platform for password storage and management. To use Edge for storing and autofilling passwords, as reported by our colleagues at PCMag: On an iOS device, users can visit Settings, General, Autofill & Passwords, and finally Edge. On Android devices, the path is through Settings, General Management, Passwords & Autofill, Autofill Service, and then Edge. Microsoft has also informed users that payment data within Authenticator will be deleted starting August 1. Users can still add and save passkeys in the Authenticator app. For those who'd prefer to use a different app, exporting passwords is easy: Just open Authenticator, go to Settings, select Export Passwords, and save the file. Most other password managers let users import this file.
