Tech Tip: Set Up a Passkey on Your Microsoft or Google Account

Category: Tech Tip | Published: 2026-03-06

A Simple Change That Dramatically Reduces Phishing Risk

Passkeys let you sign in without a password, dramatically reducing the risk of phishing and credential theft. Most UK business users can set one up on their Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace account in just a few minutes.

What Is a Passkey?

A passkey is a password replacement that uses your device's built-in security - such as a fingerprint, facial recognition, a PIN, or Windows Hello - to authenticate you. Instead of typing a password that could be stolen, guessed or reused, you approve the sign-in securely on your own device.

Both Microsoft and Google now support passkeys for business and personal accounts, and they are widely regarded as a major step forward in phishing-resistant authentication.

Why This Matters for Businesses

Phishing and password spraying remain two of the most common ways attackers gain access to business email and cloud systems. If a password is stolen through a fake login page or reused from another breach, it can be used immediately.