You can log into Amazon without a password now — er, for the most part.
Let me explain.
Vincent Delitz, co-founder of German passkey company Corbado, noticed the quiet rollout on Monday. On the login page, there’s now the option of signing in with a passkey, meaning you no longer need a password to log into the e-commerce site. But as Delitz pointed out, it’s not available for Amazon’s native apps like Prime Video and the shopping app. Plus, if you have two-factor authentication turned on, passkey login still prompts this verification step, making it redundant.
A safer, hassle-less alternative to passwords, passkeys are unique, single-use codes tethered to your device, which make them much more secure against hacks and identity theft. With passkeys, you can verify your identity through a pin code related to your device or a biometric identifier like a face scan or fingerprint.
More tech companies are rolling out passkey support. Google rolled out passkey support in May. Apple’s newest operating systems (iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma) now have a passkey option through Apple ID. And Microsoft recently debuted passkeys with the Windows 11 update.
Amazon’s passkey support is a solid cybersecurity step forward. But only if it works comprehensively. Prime Video and shopping app users still have to use passwords to log in, which creates a confusing user experience. Plus, passkeys effectively eliminate the need for 2FA, so for Amazon to still require additional authentication doesn’t make much sense.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to Mashable by the time of publication, but in a statement to TechCrunch, the company “is in the early stages of adding passkey support for Amazon.com” and will have “more to share soon.” So, there’s a possibility of wider passkey rollout coming soon.
Topics
Cybersecurity
Privacy
