Google Launching Passkey Support for Android, Chrome

credit: Brian Frederick

As early adopters, Google Play Services Beta and Chrome Canary members now have access to passkey functionality, according to a post on the Android Developers Blog. The feature, which will roll out to all users “later this year,” will automatically enter saved passwords when a user’s credentials are verified.

This beta launch enables two features, one for users and one for developers:

1. Users can create and use passkeys on Android devices, which are securely synced through the Google Password Manager.
2. Developers can build passkey support on the web with Chrome, via the WebAuthn API, on Android and other platforms.

Passkeys Offer Stronger Security Measures, Better User Experiences

Operating like a password manager, passkeys enable password form autofill once a device is unlocked using biometric data like facial recognition or fingerprints, PIN, or pattern. This offers a significant security upgrade over traditional SMS, app-based one-time passwords, or push-based approvals.

“Passkeys are a safer and more secure alternative to passwords. They also replace the need for traditional second-factor authentication methods,” Google said in a Security Blog earlier this week. “Passkeys use public-key cryptography so that data breaches of service providers don’t result in a compromise of passkey-protected accounts and are based on industry-standard APIs and protocols to ensure they are not subject to phishing attacks.”