Microsoft’s new “passwordless by default” is great but comes at a cost

Microsoft is accelerating its push toward passwordless sign-ins by making passkeys the default login method for new accounts under the FIDO Alliance standards. This move addresses the growing challenges of passwords—burdening users, leading to weak choices and reused passwords, and facilitating attacks like password spraying. However, even with a passkey, users can’t switch entirely to passwordless unless they install the Microsoft Authenticator app, which some find inconvenient and undermines the marketing promise of a fully password-free experience.