1Password is to get rid of passwords, with passkey support on the way
Getting ready for a safer future
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
1Password, one of the most well-knownpassword managersaround, will soon be getting rid of passwords altogether, opting to support passkeys instead.
Touted as the successor to passwords, passkeys save credentials to your devices in a secure way, allowing you to login to your accounts instantly without needing to remember any codes or phrases.
1Password claims that users will soon be able to generate, manage, and use passkeys with its platform, and that come summer 2023, no master password will be needed to access their vault, as this can be accessed via a passkey too.
TechRadar Pro needs you!We want to build a better website for our readers, and we need your help! You can do your bit by filling outour surveyand telling us your opinions and views about the tech industry in 2023. It will only take a few minutes and all your answers will be anonymous and confidential. Thank you again for helping us make TechRadar Pro even better.
D. Athow, Managing Editor
No more memorizing
1Passwordinitially announced its support for passkeysin November 2022, stating that early 2023 would be the likely estimate of their arrival within its platform.
In an accompanyingvideo, CPO Steve Won commented onApple’s atempt to monolopize passkeys, becomingone of the first big tech companies to support the technology.
In a recentblog postabout the passkeys, Won mentioned that unlocking 1Password without a master password is already possible with biometrics, such as a fingerprint of via facial recognition.
However, as Won puts it, biometrics “don’t actually replace the password; they only mask it. That’s why 1Password asks you to type in your password periodically in order to ensure that you have it memorized.”
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Passkeys also make use of biometrics to authenticate your identity, but the password layer is eliminated altogether.
Google Chrome now supports passkeys for everyone>How to use passkeys in macOS Ventura and iOS 16>NordPass adds passwordless online authentication
Passkeys makes use of two keys - a public and private key. These are a strongly encrypted set of random codes, and are unique for every service you have. The public key is stored on the cloud, whilst the private key is stored on your device only, making it resistant to phishing attacks. The two keys are combined once you authenticate using your biometric data, and grant you access to your account.
Many digital servicescurrently support the use of passkeysfor users to access their accounts, such as PayPal and eBay, and many more are expected to join their ranks going forward.
Most of big tech seems to be heading towards ditching passwords too, with AppleGoogleandMicrosoftand many others all supporting passkeys as well. They are also board-level members of theFIDO alliance, the organization behind determining the standards behind passkey technology.
Lewis Maddison is a Reviews Writer for TechRadar. He previously worked as a Staff Writer for our business section, TechRadar Pro, where he had experience with productivity-enhancing hardware, ranging from keyboards to standing desks. His area of expertise lies in computer peripherals and audio hardware, having spent over a decade exploring the murky depths of both PC building and music production. He also revels in picking up on the finest details and niggles that ultimately make a big difference to the user experience.
Washington state court systems taken offline following cyberattack
Is it still worth using Proton VPN Free?
MacBook Air OLED reportedly delayed until at least 2028 – here’s why
