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Security Tips: Set Up a Passkey – Tech Tip for July 10, 2025

In this week’s tech tip, we explore saying goodbye to passwords. Microsoft is phasing out passwords on personal accounts—and encouraging you to start using passkeys instead. These let you sign in with your face, fingerprint, or device PIN, making your accounts more secure and easier to access. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to take advantage of this shift. Setup takes just a few minutes and works with the devices you already use at work or at home.

Why Switch to Passkeys?

Passkeys are tied to your device, so you’ll need access to your phone or computer to set one up. Passkeys are designed to be:

  • Phishing-resistant — attackers can’t trick you into typing one in.
  • Faster — use your device’s face, fingerprint, or PIN settings.
  • Easier — no need to remember or reset passwords.

Once your passkey is set up, you’ll be able to sign in to Microsoft services more securely—and with fewer interruptions.

TIP: Start with your personal Microsoft account to try it out. Use Microsoft Edge or Google’s Chrome browser for the best experience. If you are using a work issued laptop: check in with your IT team or vendor to make sure using a personal passkey on a work laptop is okay.

Go Passwordless

Getting started only takes a few minutes and works best on a device you already use. First, you’ll need to turn on passwordless sign-in before creating your passkey. For example, let’s start on a browser using a laptop.

Open ‘Edge’ or ‘Chrome’ on Your Computer:

  • Go to: https://account.microsoft.com.
  • Sign in with your personal Microsoft account.
  • In the left navigation, select ‘Security’ (tab) and ‘Manage how I sign in.’
  • Under ‘Additional Security,’ click ‘Turn on’ below Passwordless account.
  • If prompted again, re-enter your password.
  • Follow the prompts to set up passwordless, and set up the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile device.
  • Have Microsoft Authenticator ready: You’ll be asked to ‘approve’ a request in Microsoft Authenticator on your mobile device.
  • On your mobile: Open Microsoft Authenticator and ‘Scan the QR code’ presented.
  • If successful: Microsoft Authenticator’s message will confirm you have ‘successfully added’ your account.
  • On your browser: Elect to ‘Approve password removal request.’
  • On your mobile device: Select ‘Approve’ to approve removal of a password.
  • Follow the prompts on both devices to complete the process.
  • After approval, passwordless sign-in is enabled and should now show as ‘ON.’

Set Up Your Passkey

Now that passwordless sign-in is enabled, you’re ready to create your passkey. This step securely connects your Microsoft account to your device for quick, secure logins without using a password.

From the Security Page in Your Account Settings:

  • Under Advanced Security Options, select ‘Add a new way to sign-in or verify.’
  • In the pop-up window, choose the ‘Face, fingerprint, PIN or security key’ option.
  • Select ‘OK’ to continue.
  • Use your device to sign in at login.microsoft.com.
  • Choose where to save your passkey—on your device or a physical security key.
  • Follow the remaining prompts to finish setup.

Setting up a Microsoft passkey is a small change that can make a big difference in how you work. It saves time, reduces login frustration, and can help to protect your account from phishing attacks—without needing to remember or type a single password. The sooner you become familiar with it; the easier future passkey creation and sign-ins will be.

Reach Out to TechWise Group

Interested in learning more about Microsoft Security and Authentication? Reach out to TechWise Group. We’ll help you make the most of your Microsoft tools.

Important Microsoft Announcements:

  • Put a plan in place to upgrade to Windows 11:
    • Windows 10 reaches End of Support (EOS) on October 14, 2025.
  • Maximize your organization’s Security with Secure Score and MFA:
    • Get to know your Secure Score—your essential tool for proactive threat management.
    • Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is the best way to prevent cyberthreats.
  • Give your business a productivity boost with Microsoft Copilot:
    • Get started with Copilot consulting services to organize and secure your data, while also training you and your team.
  • Contact TechWise Group to get started or to put a plan in place.