Microsoft is modernizing how its Windows Hello authentication, including facial and fingerprint recognition, works in Windows 11. The revamp of the Windows Hello experience is now in beta testing with Windows Insiders and includes visual changes, new iconography, and improvements in the access codes.
This new UI will not only appear on the Windows 11 login screen, but also when you use passkeys to log in to websites and apps. “We redesigned the Windows Security Credentials for Access Keys user experiences, creating a cleaner experience that supports fast and secure authentication.” explains the Windows team. “Users will now be able to switch between authentication options and select passcodes/devices more intuitively.”
Microsoft currently supports passcodes in Windows 11, but the experience of using one from a mobile device involves scanning QR codes and an outdated user interface. A new sign-in UI for passkeys and Microsoft account authentication will greatly improve this, as part of this Windows Hello UI overhaul.
Microsoft has also created a new API for third-party password and passkey managers that can allow developers to connect directly to this modern Windows Hello experience. It will also allow Windows 11 users to use a passkey from a mobile device to authenticate with apps and websites on a PC. This new passcode experience will also allow you to save passcodes for third-party apps or sync them with your Microsoft account.
Microsoft has started testing this new Windows Hello experience for the beta channel (23H2) and it should also appear in the development channel (which is based on 24H2) once. build resume early. I hope we see this new Windows Hello UI appear for all Windows 11 users in the coming months.