- Microsoft improves support for access keys in Windows 11
- Windows Hello can sign in using access keys stored in 1Password
- Access keys make logging in easier and faster
Microsoft added native support for 1Password passkeys in the November 2025 Windows Security Update.
Users will now be able to choose between Microsoft Password Manager and third-party options like 1Password to log into any app or service using passkeys.
Support for more of the best password managers will be available in future updates, Microsoft said.
Microsoft’s Passwordless Future
Microsoft has been pushing users to move from passwords to passwords over the past few years. Microsoft initially announced Windows 11 support for passwords in late 2024 as part of Windows Hello.
Around the same time, Microsoft began “nudging” users to set up passwords for Microsoft accounts, before making it a mandatory requirement for all new Microsoft accounts in May 2025.
To diversify the options available to users, Microsoft has partnered with 1Password and introduced a Credential Management API plugin for using and syncing access keys, allowing 1Password to perform on the same level as Microsoft’s native password manager.
This direction aligns with recent changes from Microsoft. They recently removed password storage from Microsoft’s authenticator app in favor of passwords, before abandoning passwords altogether.
Access keys are digital credentials that rely on public key cryptography. The private key is stored on your local device and the public key is used by the services you want to connect to. When you use a password to log in, the service sends a cryptographic challenge to your device that your private key responds to, but only after verifying your identity using biometrics or a PIN.
This makes passwords highly resistant to phishing attacks and credential leaks, as bad actors will need to have possession of your device and biometrics/PIN in order to verify a login attempt. Access keys also make logging in easier and avoid problems like password fatigue.
Love it or hate it, passwords are here to stay.
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