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A New Era of Passwordless Security
In a bold move toward a password-free future, Microsoft has officially announced it will phase out password support in its Authenticator app by August 1, 2025. The change reflects Microsoft’s broader push to modernize digital authentication, enhance user security, and unify its autofill and password management services under the Microsoft Edge browser. This development signals a shift in how users will interact with authentication tools on their devices, especially in a landscape increasingly focused on passkeys and secure login alternatives.
What’s Changing in Microsoft Authenticator?
Microsoft will begin implementing changes starting in July 2025, when the autofill feature in the Authenticator app will stop working. A month later, in August 2025, users will no longer be able to access their saved passwords within the app. Any generated but unsaved passwords will be deleted permanently.
This change doesn’t mean your data will vanish—Microsoft is simply redirecting where and how that data is managed. Instead of relying on Authenticator, users’ saved passwords and addresses will now be synced to their Microsoft account, where they can be accessed using the Edge browser, provided it is set as the default autofill provider.
Significantly, Microsoft already disabled the ability to add or import new passwords into Authenticator in June 2025. However, passwords saved before the cutoff date can still be used via autofill until July 2025.
Importantly, these changes do not affect passkeys—a growingly popular authentication method that removes the need for traditional passwords. Users with passkeys enabled on their Microsoft accounts must continue using the Authenticator app, as disabling it will also deactivate passkey access.
For those relying on other password managers such as Apple iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager, this shift allows them to set these tools as their default autofill providers. Microsoft is also giving users the option to export their passwords from the Authenticator app and import them into another service of their choice.
🔍 What Undercode Say:
A Strategic Pivot Toward Security and Simplicity
Microsoft’s decision is not just about phasing out a feature—it’s a strategic repositioning in how identity and access management are handled in the modern web ecosystem. By shifting password storage and autofill to Microsoft Edge, the company is centralizing its ecosystem, giving Edge more utility and making the case for users to adopt the browser for everyday use.
This move also aligns with a broader trend in tech: the transition away from traditional passwords toward passkey-based authentication, biometrics, and device-based credentials. Passkeys, for example, are phishing-resistant and inherently more secure, reducing the risk associated with credential theft.
However, the shift does raise some usability concerns:
Dependence on Microsoft Edge may alienate users who prefer browsers like Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.
Mobile-first users, especially on iOS, may find the transition bumpy if they’re used to the built-in iCloud Keychain.
Those unfamiliar with exporting and importing passwords might lose access if they don’t act before August 2025.
In essence, Microsoft is nudging users toward a more unified and secure future, but it’s also subtly encouraging them to buy deeper into its own ecosystem—using Edge as the gateway to that future.
This strategy could boost Microsoft’s user retention on Edge and help reinforce its push toward passwordless access across Windows, Microsoft 365, and Azure services.
For security professionals and enterprises, this could simplify the attack surface. With passkey support and centralized credential management, it’s easier to enforce security policies and reduce the risk of compromised accounts through weak or reused passwords.
That said, the burden now lies on users to take proactive steps:
Backup and export existing passwords
Set a new autofill provider, especially if Edge isn’t the preferred option
Understand passkeys and how they’ll affect access moving forward
✅ Fact Checker Results:
- Microsoft officially confirmed the deprecation of password support in Authenticator via its support documentation.
- The timeline—July for autofill shutdown, August for full password removal—is publicly verified.
- Passkey support is unaffected but still reliant on the Authenticator app as a provider.
🔮 Prediction:
By 2026, Microsoft will likely expand passkey integration across all its services, eventually making passwords completely obsolete in its ecosystem. As more platforms adopt FIDO-based authentication, Authenticator may evolve into a centralized identity key vault rather than a traditional 2FA tool. Expect more tech giants to follow suit, nudging users toward a fully passwordless digital experience.
References:
Reported By: thehackernews.com
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