Apple plans to get rid of passwords for good in iOS 16 fall update

Remembering multiple passwords can be a bane in our lives, but Apple may have a solution to eliminate them completely.

With Apple tweaks coming this fall in updates to iOS 16, macOS Ventura, and iPadOS 16, there’s a good chance passwords will change.

Passkey: Apple’s alternative to multiple passwords: Use Touch ID or Face ID for biometric authentication that syncs with iCloud Keychain on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV with end-to-end encryption.

“This is a way to completely replace passwords, and it’s starting now,” Kurt Knight, Apple’s senior director of platform product marketing, told Tom’s Guide.

what is the password

Your password is a unique digital key that is never stored on a web server and remains on your device, making it more secure. Even if a hacker breaks into your device, they cannot steal your passkey or trick you into sharing your passkey.

“Face ID and Touch ID authentication offers the convenience and biometrics we’ve built into iPhone. You don’t have to buy another device, but you don’t have to learn new habits,” said Apple Senior Director Darin Adler. he tells Guide Tom.

Password keys are based on what is called “public key cryptography” where you have a secret private key stored on your device and another public key stored on a web server.

A user can set a password by logging into any app for the first time and authenticating via SMS. You can then choose to save your password in Account Manager.

Once you’ve saved your password, it will appear in the QuickType bar so your next login is one step.

Password authentication is also possible with other devices, which generate a QR code that can be read by an iPhone or iPad.

iOS uses Face ID or Touch ID to verify the identity of the person trying to sign in before approving or denying the request. Passwords can also be shared via AirDrop.

So if you can get a QR code that you can scan with your iPhone and log in to your Windows computer using your iPhone, you can authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID.

The information you need is stored in iCloud Keychain so it stays in sync across all your devices. So even if you don’t have an iPhone, you can still use iCloud Keychain to get your keys back.

Apple is currently working with developers to integrate Passkey support into their apps.