Summary

  • Google is streamlining passkey login by reducing it to a single biometric scan in Android 15's new update.
  • This update makes logging in even faster by guessing the correct passkey and immediately prompting for a scan.
  • Autofill now suggests passkeys when filling in username or password fields, making online security more convenient.

Passkeys are a really convenient way to log into websites and services, but Google thinks its current setup is not as convenient as it could be. To make it even faster, the tech giant is removing a step in its passkey login process, reducing it to a single facial recognition, fingerprint, or screen lock check. Google is rolling out this new feature as part of its third beta update for its Android 15 operating system, which contains some other nice upgrades to the login system.

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Android 15's third beta adds some handy passkey features

The new Android 15 passkey
Image Credit: Google

As announced by Google, the third beta for Android 15 is now underway. The star of the show for this wave is all the tweaks Google is making to how passkeys are handled. Passkeys have been heralded as the replacement for usernames and passwords, letting people log in with just a single biometrics scan.

Before this update, passkeys were already pretty convenient for Android; you select which passkey you want to use, scan your biometrics, and you're good to go. However, this was, apparently, far too inconvenient for Google, as it now makes a smart guess as to which passkey you want to use and immediately takes you to the biometric scan. This will remove an unnecessary step, especially if you only have one passkey you can use. However, there is a "more options" link you can tap to, presumably, change which passkey you're using if Android got the wrong one.

Included with this update is a new feature for autofill. When you select a username or password field, the keyboard usually suggests an account for you to use. Now, if you have a passkey ready to go, the keyboard will automatically suggest it to you. Plus, trusted third-party developers can take advantage of this new one-step verification with a new API coming soon. If passkeys truly are the future of online security, it seems that logging into websites on Android will truly be easier than ever before.