According to Thurrott.com, Microsoft Edge can now create and sync passkeys across Windows PCs through its built-in password manager, with support for more platforms coming soon. The feature uses the FIDO2 open standard and requires users to set up a PIN when creating their first passkey in Edge. Currently, passkey syncing isn’t available for Microsoft Entra accounts, and mobile device support remains undated despite Google Chrome having offered this capability for a year. The Edge team explained that users visiting passkey-supported sites will be prompted to create passkeys stored in Microsoft Password Manager, accessible through biometric authentication or PIN codes. This development marks Microsoft’s entry into browser-native passkey management, though with notable limitations compared to established solutions.
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The Browser Authentication Arms Race Intensifies
Microsoft’s move represents a critical catch-up play in the escalating browser authentication wars. Google Chrome has offered cross-platform passkey syncing for over a year, while Apple’s ecosystem has deeply integrated passkey support across Safari and iOS. Microsoft’s delayed entry creates a significant competitive disadvantage, particularly given Edge’s stagnant market share hovering around 4% globally. The timing is especially problematic as enterprise adoption of passwordless authentication accelerates, with many organizations now prioritizing solutions that work seamlessly across all employee devices and platforms. Microsoft’s current Windows-only approach effectively cedes the mobile enterprise market to competitors who already offer comprehensive cross-platform solutions.
Third-Party Password Managers Face New Pressure
The native browser integration of passkey management poses an existential threat to dedicated password managers like 1Password, Bitwarden, and Proton Pass. These services have built their value proposition around secure credential storage and synchronization across all platforms and browsers. As Microsoft’s announcement indicates, browser-native solutions are becoming increasingly sophisticated, potentially making third-party tools redundant for casual users. However, the current fragmentation across different browsers’ implementations creates a compelling case for third-party managers that can unify the experience. The real battle will be over enterprise customers, where centralized management and compliance features still give dedicated password managers an edge.
Enterprise Adoption Hurdles Remain Significant
Microsoft’s exclusion of Entra ID accounts from initial passkey syncing represents a major strategic misstep for enterprise adoption. Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) manages identities for millions of business users, making this limitation particularly puzzling. Enterprises considering passkey deployment need consistent policies and management capabilities across their entire user base. By launching without Entra support, Microsoft has effectively delayed enterprise adoption within its own ecosystem, creating an opportunity for competitors to capture market share. This fragmented approach could slow overall passkey adoption in the enterprise sector, where Microsoft traditionally holds strong influence over authentication standards and deployment timelines.
The Standards Battle and Market Consolidation
The FIDO2 standard’s widespread adoption by Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Amazon suggests we’re approaching a critical inflection point for passwordless authentication. However, implementation differences and synchronization capabilities vary significantly between platforms, creating user experience fragmentation. Microsoft’s current position as a laggard in mobile synchronization could force them to accelerate development or risk becoming irrelevant in the mobile-first authentication landscape. The coming months will likely see intensified competition around synchronization reliability, user interface polish, and enterprise management features. As browser vendors race to implement comprehensive passkey solutions, we may see renewed interest in industry-wide standardization efforts to ensure seamless interoperability across different ecosystems.
