Google Workspace and Cloud business accounts get passkey support

Google Workspace and Cloud business accounts can use passkeys to log in without a password. It is still an open beta. Google says that more than nine million organizations gain access to passkeys this way.

By default, passkeys are only used as a 2fa method, but administrators can also choose to skip passwords altogether and only use passkeys as a login method. Google says yes that it will roll out passkeys in phases to business Workspace and Cloud users; it may take a few weeks before all organizations can use passkeys.

Passkeys are an implementation of the FIDO protocol and allow users to create a unique authentication key on a device. With this ‘passkey’ users can log in again, in this case a Google account. To use that passkey, users must identify themselves on that device with a PIN code, fingerprint or facial recognition, just like when unlocking a phone.

The passkeys work on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and ChromeOS. Google previously brought passkeys to regular Google accounts. In addition to Google, Apple and Microsoft are also working on passkeys. Services such as Bitwarden, 1Password and PayPal receive or already have passkey support. Google sees passkey mainly as a method to prevent phishing and account takeovers, for example.