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Screengrab via Windows/YouTube

Microsoft just announced a much more secure way to sign into Windows

Use your eyeball to unlock your PC.

 

Myles Tanzer

Tech

Posted on Mar 18, 2015   Updated on May 29, 2021, 6:56 am CDT

Microsoft announced Tuesday that devices running the company’s newest operating system, Windows 10, will support biometric authentication, allowing users to log in with their faces, eyes, or fingerprints.

The company emphasized in a blog post that Windows Hello, the new login method, was built with both convenience and security in mind. According to Microsoft, the new technology could be useful in the government, finance and healthcare sectors.

“We’re working closely with our hardware partners to deliver Windows Hello capable devices that will ship with Windows 10,” Microsoft said on its blog.

Microsoft is doing its best to make “password123” a thing of the past. The company also revealed Passport, a programming system that lets developers integrate Windows Hello or PIN-based authentication into their programs in addition to traditional passwords.

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Windows Hello is part of a larger trend that has already caught on at tech companies like Apple and Google. The iPhone 5S introduced “Touch ID” in September 2013. Microsoft may be late to the party, but its contribution to the password-replacement revolution carries a modern touch that’s been missing from the company for quite a while.

Screengrab via Windows/YouTube

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*First Published: Mar 18, 2015, 12:23 pm CDT