Microsoft has abandoned its mobile app Authenticator for managing user IDs and passwords, instead pushing users towards its Edge browser. The new strategy is part of the company’s broader shift towards using passkeys over traditional passwords.
While Authenticator will continue to support passkeys, it cannot be relied upon as a comprehensive passkey manager. Users who want to manage their user IDs and passwords with Microsoft-based solutions are left with only one option: Edge on Windows. The browser offers auto-provisioning of credentials, synchronization across devices, and more.
However, there’s a catch: Edge’s password management capabilities are not yet fully syncable. Passkeys created for services like PayPal and eBay can only be accessed via Windows Settings > Accounts > Passkeys, but not in other versions of Edge. This means users will need to manage multiple device-bound passkeys across different devices.
Microsoft Authenticator does support device-bound passkeys (non-syncable) for Entra accounts, but this is specific to businesses using Microsoft’s cloud-based identity management solution. The company’s general user population has limited options, with only Edge on Windows offering a decent passkey experience.
As Microsoft continues to push the idea of passkeys over passwords, users are left waiting for the company to support syncable passkeys across all its versions of Edge. Until then, they have alternatives like Google and third-party password managers that offer comprehensive passkey management capabilities.
Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-authenticator-wont-manage-your-passwords-anymore-or-most-passkeys