- Microsoft improves password support in Windows 11
- Windows Hello can sign you in with the login keys stored in 1Password
- Passwords enable quick and easy access
Microsoft has added native support for 1Password passcodes Windows November 2025 Security update.
Users can now choose between Microsoft Password Manager and third-party options like 1Password to log into any app or service with a password.
Microsoft says better password managers will be supported in future updates.
Microsoft’s passwordless future
In recent years, Microsoft has been pushing users to switch from password to password. Microsoft first announced password support for Windows 11 in late 2024 as part of Windows Hello.
Around the same time, Microsoft began encouraging users to set passwords for Microsoft accounts before making it mandatory for all new Microsoft accounts in May 2025.
To diversify the options available to users, Microsoft has partnered with 1Password and introduced a Credential Manager API plugin for password usage and synchronization, allowing 1Password to function at the same level as Microsoft’s own password manager.
This direction is consistent with the latest changes from Microsoft. They recently removed password storage from Microsoft’s authenticator app in favor of passwords, before abandoning it entirely.
Access keys are digital credentials based on public key cryptography. The private key is stored on your local device and the public key is used by the services you want to connect to. When you log in with a password, the service sends a cryptographic challenge to your device, which is answered by your private key, but only after your identity is verified with biometrics or a PIN.
This makes passwords highly resistant to phishing attacks and credential leaks, as attackers must gain access to your device and your biometric/PIN to authenticate a login attempt. Passwords also make logging in easier and prevent problems like password fatigue.
Love them or hate them, passwords are here to stay.
