Microsoft is removing all saved passwords from its Authenticator app by August 2025, pushing users toward more secure passkeys instead. This major change begins rolling out in three key phases, forcing millions of users to take action within months.
Starting June 2025, you can no longer add or import new passwords into the Authenticator app. In July 2025, the autofill feature for passwords and payment information will stop working completely. Finally, by August 2025, all passwords saved in the app will be permanently deleted – including any unsaved generated passwords.
This shift isn’t happening without reason. Microsoft reported over 7,000 password attacks every second in 2024. Traditional passwords are increasingly vulnerable to phishing, credential stuffing, and brute-force attacks. According to Microsoft’s data, passkeys have a 98% success rate compared to just 32% for passwords and are eight times faster than passwords with multi-factor authentication.
“Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords,” explains Attila Tomaschek, a digital security expert.
Unlike passwords, passkeys use your device’s security features like fingerprint scanners, facial recognition, or PINs. They can’t be stolen in data breaches since they’re stored on your device, not on servers. This makes them virtually immune to common hacking methods.
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If you currently use Microsoft Authenticator to store passwords, you need to take action before August. Try this option:
Switch to Microsoft Edge for password management. Your saved passwords (but not payment information) will automatically sync to your Microsoft account and be accessible through Edge.
For payment information stored in the app, you must act even sooner. After July 2025, all payment details will be deleted, and you’ll need to re-enter this information manually wherever you choose to store it.
The Authenticator app will continue functioning for its main purpose – providing multi-factor authentication and serving as a passkey provider. If you’ve set up passkeys for your Microsoft account, keep Authenticator enabled as your passkey provider, or your passkeys will stop working.
This change aligns with broader industry moves toward passwordless authentication. Major companies like Google, Apple, and Amazon are similarly pushing passkeys as the future of secure logins.
Some users have expressed frustration about feeling forced to use Microsoft Edge for password management or experiencing difficulties exporting their passwords. However, security experts generally agree that moving away from traditional passwords significantly improves online security.
