Amazon said on Monday that it’s rolling out passkey support to make it easier for customers to log into their Amazon accounts. Support is available for browsers with iOS access rolling out, and Android support coming soon.
Passkeys are a considered safer and more convenient than passwords because they can’t be written down or accidentally shared with a scammer. Amazon said passkeys aren’t susceptible to phishing, making them more secure than one-time codes via text or email.
In settings, Amazon’s passkey will let users set up face, fingerprint, or PIN unlock — like you’d turn on for your device itself.
To set up your passkey on desktop, log into your account and hover your cursor over Accounts & Lists. From there, click Account and Login & Security. You should see Passkey under the Primary Mobile Number tab. Click Set Up. You’ll get a prompt asking if you want to use Windows Hello, an external security key or a mobile device. From there, just choose which option you want and follow the prompts. I was able to find Passkey on both Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome browsers.
“This is about giving customers ease-of-use and security simultaneously in their Amazon experience,” Dave Treadwell, senior vice president of ecommerce at Amazon, said in a statement. “While passwords will still be around in the foreseeable future, this is an exciting step in the right direction. We are thrilled to be an early adopter of this new authentication method, helping to realize our vision for a more secure, password-less internet.”
More companies are turning to passkey alternatives and moving away from passwords as an account’s first line of defense. For example, Google unveiled plans to kill off passwords entirely and make passkeys the default options. Uber and eBay have also swapped to passkeys. WhatsApp also has plans to make the transition.
Image credit: Amazon