by Joe Lonergan

Google is rolling out Passkeys

Google is starting to roll out an alternative login method for its billions of users. The current way to log into your Gmail account is with a username and password, but this way is getting outdated. The main issue with usernames and passwords is their susceptibility to phishing attacks.

Google says it plans to promote passkeys in the coming months and start nudging account holders to convert their traditional username and password login to a passkey. So, if you notice any unfamiliar prompts about your password when using Gmail coming up on your screen in the coming weeks or months, this is what is going on.

Passkeys use Biometric logins like Touch ID or Face ID or physical authentication dongles or just use a 6-digit PIN. One of the biggest issues with Passkeys is going to be adaptation as many users may have never used a Passkey before, but the facts are if Gmail is starting to adopt Passkeys as standard this is going to be the default login for many platforms.

Basic HTML view will end in Gmail from January 2024

Bad news for users who like to use Gmail in basic HTML view.  Lots of screen reader users love to use Gmail in HTML view, but this will be no longer available in January 2024. Gmail will revert to the standard view only. It was popular with JAWS and NVDA users especially because of its consistency and ease of use as you could navigate quickly through it with quick navigation keys and delete and compose mail easily. Google claims that Gmail is accessible to screen readers in the standard view.