Like many people, I gave up on trying to remember all my passwords years ago and handed over that responsibility to a password manager. And with password requirements that vary for each website, it's nearly impossible to keep everything straight. I'm juggling over 200 logins at this point just to access all my accounts and devices. It added that it’s also working on a way to eliminate passwords for Azure AD accounts, with admins set to be able to choose whether passwords are required, allowed or don’t exist for specific users.Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. Microsoft says that passwordless sign-in will be rolled out to consumer accounts over the coming weeks, so you might not be able to get rid of your password just yet.

Similarly, those using now-unsupported versions of Windows won’t be able to ditch their passwords just yet either, as the feature will only be supported on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Some Microsoft apps will still continue to require a password, however, including Office 2010 or earlier, Remote Desktop and Xbox 360.

Instead, users can use the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key and SMS or emailed codes. This means that users will be able to sign in to services, such as Outlook and OneDrive, without having to use a password. To that end, and as it gears up to launch Windows 11 in just a few weeks, Microsoft is rolling out its passwordless sign-in option, previously available only to commercial customers, to all Microsoft accounts. This is because passwords are a prime target for cyberattacks, since weak or reused passwords can be guessed or brute-forced through automated attacks. The tech giant, like many others in the industry, has waged a war against traditional password-based authentication for some time. Microsoft is further nudging users away from passwords by rolling out passwordless sign-in options to all consumer Microsoft accounts.

Microsoft passwordless account