Google Is Testing a New Way to Kill Passwords

Remembering long and elaborate passwords for multiple accounts can be difficult. Fortunately, Google is trying to make life easier for its users by killing traditional passwords altogether. The tech giant is currently testing a new method for logging into your Gmail account on a computer with verification through your smartphone.

User Rohit Paul posted about Google’s invitation to the testing process on Reddit’s Android community, and explained how it will work: When you set up and authorize your smartphone with the new password-less service, Google will send your Android or iOS device a notification to verify your identity whenever you log into a computer with your Gmail account. Once you’re approved and confirmed, you’re in! Confirmation can be anything from a simple PIN number to your fingerprint on biometric-enabled smartphones.

However, if you’re old-fashioned and simply want to use your regular Gmail password instead, Google gives you that option, too. The company is also providing users with ways to deactivate their devices in the event they’re lost or stolen. The new service would be an additional layer of protection from malicious attacks, such as phishing operations, which trick users into logging into false, yet authentic-looking websites using their real passwords.

“We’ve invited a small group of users to help test a new way to sign in to their Google accounts, no password required,” a Google spokesperson confirmed in a statement. “‘Pizza,’ ‘password,’ and ‘123456’—your days are numbered.”

[h/t Mashable]