Latest news with #passwordmanagement
Washington Post
01-08-2025
- Washington Post
Microsoft Authenticator is ending password autofill soon. How to set up a passkey before Aug. 1
NEW YORK — If you're a Microsoft Authenticator user, like me, you've probably received at least one notice that the app's password management features are no longer usable and that your stored passwords will be inaccessible starting Aug. 1 unless you have the Edge browser. Why? Because Microsoft is moving its signature sign-in app to a digital authentication method touted by security experts as an easier and more secure way to log in: passkeys .
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Yahoo
Microsoft Authenticator is ending password autofill. Here's how to set up a passkey instead
If you're a Microsoft Authenticator user, you've probably received at least one notice that the app's password management features are no longer usable and that your stored passwords will be inaccessible starting Aug. 1 unless you have the Edge browser. Why? Because Microsoft is moving its signature sign-in app to a digital authentication method touted by security experts as an easier and more secure way to log in: passkeys. 'Last year (2024), we observed a staggering 7,000 password attacks per second (more than double the rate from 2023),' Microsoft wrote in a blog post. 'Although passwords have been around for centuries, we hope their reign over our online world is ending'. Authenticator has been a staple in providing multi-factor authentication, one-time passwords, and biometric logins for services and some websites. Although the app will continue to provide authentication for passkey-compatible services, it is pushing its password management and autofill functions out to the company's Edge browser instead. Related Microsoft to make Notre-Dame 'digital twin' and boost its European languages for its AI models Note that not all websites and applications have adopted passkeys yet, so many places still rely on passwords. If you haven't yet moved to a different password manager system or set up your passkeys, we're here to help. How to generate a passkey in Authenticator Passkeys do away with complex 14 character passwords because you never need to see them. Instead you are using existing biometrics like your face or fingerprints, digital patterns, or PINs to access your accounts. Passkeys are made up of two parts of a code that only makes sense when they're combined, kind of like a digital key and padlock. You keep half of the encrypted code, typically stored either in the cloud with a compatible verification app – including Authenticator – or on a physical security dongle. The other half is stored on the participating apps, services or accounts you want to access. The bad news? You do have to set up individual passkeys for each service or application that accepts them. Keeping track of where you can use them versus traditional passwords can be challenging. If you've opened Authenticator in the last few months, you likely were prompted to set up a passkey through a guided experience. Related How long could it take a hacker to crack one of your passwords in 2025? If you didn't receive such a prompt, you can set up a new passkey by opening the authenticator app on your device. Find and tap on your account, then select 'set up a passkey' option. Follow the app's instructions. Accessing old passwords in Edge The good news is that all of your old passwords are synced to your Microsoft account. But to access them after Aug. 1, you will need to first install the Edge browser on your device of choice (and log into it). For iOS users, navigate to Settings General Autofill & Passwords and turn on Edge. Android users click their way to Settings General management Passwords and autofill Autofill service and select Edge. Laptop and desktop users will need to open Edge and navigate to Settings Profiles Passwords. There you should find an autofill toggle and another option to save new passwords to your account. Related Superman? Spider-Man? Hello Kitty? Study reveals most hackable pop-culture password Downloading your passwords to use in a password manager Firstly, check out our advice on selecting and using password managers. There are many services – paid and free – out there and options to consider. Now to export your Authenticator passwords, open the app on your device then navigate to Settings Export Passwords. This will spit out an exported file containing your data. Most of the password managers out there – including those built into other browsers, or Apple and Android's own key ring apps – will have an import option, which should accept this file. If you're having difficulty with the import, it's best to consult their customer service lines for help.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- 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.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Yahoo
Microsoft Will Delete Your Passwords on August 1. Here's What You Need to Do Now
If you use Microsoft Authenticator, you've probably noticed that the app looks a little different. While the authenticator app's interface is still intuitive and easy to navigate, when you tap on the Passwords section, the difference is clear. An on-screen notification explains that Authenticator's password management features are no longer available. So, where is all of your personal data now, and how will you be able to access it in the future? Don't panic–most of your data will not be deleted. In keeping with Microsoft's pledge for a passwordless future, you can still store your passkeys in the Authenticator app. That said, the company rolled your passwords and saved addresses over to the new, AI-enhanced version of the Edge browser in early July. Starting August 1, Microsoft will delete any payment data in the app, so you'll need to move quickly there. Below, I'll explain how to set up the Edge browser's password management functions, but if you want to switch to a third-party password manager like Editors' Choice winners NordPass and Proton Pass, now is a good time. I've reviewed dozens of password managers, and I'll give you my top recommendation for a free substitute for Microsoft Authenticator. Your Passwords Moved to Edge: Here's How to Use Them As mentioned above, Microsoft moved your addresses and passwords to your Microsoft account page and Edge. To use the browser as a password manager on your phone, download the app, then visit your phone's Settings menu. If you're using an iOS device, go to Settings > General > Autofill & Passwords and turn on Edge. People who are using Android devices should go to Settings > General management > Passwords and autofill > Autofill service > Edge. How to Transfer Your Old Passwords to a New App To export your Microsoft Authenticator passwords, open the app on your device, then navigate to Settings > Export Passwords, and save your export file to your device or cloud storage. If you want to start using a new password manager app, I wrote a detailed guide for switching password managers. Check out that article for more, but here's the short version: Download a new password manager app on your preferred device. On the app dashboard, tap the Import button. Upload your Microsoft Authenticator backup file. The good news is that you won't sacrifice any functionality with modern password management apps because, in addition to password generation and filling, they can generate MFA codes, just like an authenticator app. Editors' Choice Proton Pass is my top recommendation for people who are looking for a free password manager. I like the app because, in addition to storing passwords and payment info, you can use it to create masked email addresses, so you can cut down on spam in your inbox, or give out a different email address when signing up for newsletters. Should You Delete Microsoft Authenticator? No, don't delete Microsoft Authenticator yet! You can still use the app to generate multi-factor authentication codes and store passkeys. If you're determined to move to a new authentication method, Microsoft doesn't make it easy. You can't export or transfer your tokens to a new app. Instead, you'll need to delete the authenticator from each of your accounts and then attach a new app or hardware security key. The password management functions were unique to the Microsoft Authenticator app. Even Editors' Choice-winning apps like 2FAS and Aegis Authenticator didn't serve up those capabilities. I'm sad to see those features go, but, on the bright side, if you're a current Microsoft Authenticator user, you no longer need to login to use the app, because the address book, password management, and payment storage features all require a Microsoft account. The PCMag security team constantly serves up online privacy and safety tips, so subscribe to SecurityWatch, our weekly newsletter. In the meantime, learn about the many ways a password manager can save your relationships.
The National
28-06-2025
- The National
Digital legacy: When you die, who's going to tell the internet?
After her husband Alan's death, Gina Seymour found dealing with all his online accounts and virtual paperwork was 'pretty close to a nightmare'. Alan died in 2018, aged 57, after suffering a brain haemorrhage that meant he had been unable to prepare for what would happen to his online life. 'It was a struggle because you don't realise or you forget how many accounts there are,' says Mrs Seymour, an author who works as a school librarian in Long Island, New York. 'Most of them are used every day, like your Gmail, and others only come up once in a while, or once a year, or you don't use [them] as frequently. 'Just when you think you're done, you're actually not. You missed one. It's stressful, to say the least.' Mrs Seymour's experience highlights the issue of 'digital legacy', the way in which almost everyone today has an online presence – and it often cannot simply be forgotten after their death. Many of us have digital accounts for, at least, banking, investments, shopping, tax and messaging. Pass on your password According to password management company NordPass, the average person has 168 passwords, of which 87 are for business-related online accounts. That creates significant challenges for someone dealing with a loved one's digital legacy, especially if that person did not leave behind account details and passwords. 'So many things in our lives have shifted online or have online components. The biggest problem is logistical headaches,' says Dr Jed Brubaker, an associate professor of information science at the University of Colorado Boulder. 'We have so many things that are new, that don't have pre-digital analogues. Maybe your partner was the person who managed your monthly mortgage payment and it went to their email, and all of a sudden you no longer have access to their email. You can think of all of the standard things that now have this additional digital layer.' While these practical issues are important – and very taxing for surviving relatives dealing with them – a person's digital legacy also encompasses things of great sentimental value, notably photographs and videos. Items that were traditionally passed down, such as photo albums, now often exist only in a mobile phone or in the cloud in remote servers, and may be beyond the reach of relatives who do not have access credentials. Dr Brubaker, who manages a free digital legacy clinic run by students, says photos are what bereaved relatives care about the most, although videos are becoming increasingly important. 'In end-of-life plans we're ensuring that people have set them up such that their loved ones can gain access to what is effectively the modern-day scrapbook,' he says. If the bereaved cannot view or download a relative's pictures it can cause what James Norris, founder of the UK-based Digital Legacy Association, describes as a second loss. 'After you have lost someone, you can have a feeling of losing something else from that person,' he says. Major internet companies, such as Apple, Facebok owner Meta and Google, typically have a legacy contact feature, enabling users to designate an individual to deal with their online presence after their death. 'If you have set up plans in advance you have access to download the photos and save them locally,' Mr Norris says. The association recommends that individuals and health and social care providers consider digital assets during end-of-life planning. 'We're based in a hospice provider,' he says. 'Often the conversation we have with patients is: 'Have you got a password on your mobile phone?' They would say yes. 'If they haven't told anyone their password, their digital legacy planning is simply telling their son or partner or grandchild their password so they can access their photos. 'The main thing is for each person to think about each of their online accounts and make suitable plans based on the content and the relationship with loved ones.' Curate your digital legacy People wanting to curate their digital legacy can turn to numerous specialist sites. Among them is Inalife, set up by Nicholas Worley, a British communications professional in Hong Kong. Mr Worley, the father of three young sons, was partly inspired to set up the site, which went live in 2023, by the experience of becoming a parent. 'I thought it would be quite nice if they could have memories of when they were younger – their first swimming lesson, their first steps, all those sorts of things,' he says. Some of his father's family's photos in the UK were destroyed during the Second World War, which has highlighted to Mr Worley the risks of having only a single hard copy of an image. 'It's easier to save things digitally and to have that as a back-up. I wanted to save things across generations, and technology helps you do that,' he says. 'Most people tend not to think about it unless they're older or facing an illness. It's the same with most legacy planning. Giving more attention to it is important.' Users can create sub-profiles for relatives and sub-accounts for children, to whom ownership can be transferred at a particular time, such as when they turn 18. When it comes to public sites such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn, people might want to consider how much of what they have uploaded they would like to remain on view after their death. Some people may prefer accounts to be deleted. 'Everything that we put online, it stays there, unless a company goes bankrupt or the site has a plan in place. There's a lot of our lives out there online,' says Dr Heather Moorefield-Lang, an associate professor of information, library and research sciences at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. 'You have to make your choices as to what you might want people to shut down for you. Are you fine just leaving it out there?' Dr Moorefield-Lang says many people are uncomfortable talking about death, dying and what will happen afterwards, but trying to sort things out after someone has died is no easier. 'Planning and communication takes care of a whole lot of issues later, if your kids and your friends aren't sure what you want,' she says. 'You want to take as much off their shoulders as possible, even if it's just sitting down and talking about it. It costs nothing but time.' After the difficulties of dealing with her late husband's digital legacy, Mrs Seymour has made sure that things will be easier for her children when she dies. She has written details of her online accounts and passwords in a book. 'I know the first rule of internet safety is 'don't write your passwords down',' she says. 'But you have got to write that stuff down. It's in a book, it's all there. The only people who know where it is are my children.'
