Amazon.com Inc. said today that users will now be able to use passkeys to log in on web browsers and mobile apps, which will make them more secure when accessing their accounts.

Passkeys are a new technology that allows users to sign into applications and services without the need for a password. A passkey identifies a user by using public-key cryptography connected to a specific service and their devices, instead of a password they merely need to unlock their device to prove that they are who they say they are.

As a result, there’s no burdensome password that users can accidentally forget or that they need to store on their computer. Instead, they will be able to access their account the same way that they access their devices, using biometric unlocks such as fingerprints, face scans, or lock screen patterns and PIN. Another benefit is that users cannot be tricked into giving away their passkeys like passwords can be in phishing attacks, since a passkey is unique to an app, service or website.

“Passkeys fundamentally shift the way we sign in to our online accounts for the better,” said Andrew Shikiar, executive director and chief marketing officer of FIDO Alliance, an industry body working to promote the broader adoption of password alternatives such as passkeys.

Shikiar said that the organization’s research showed that consumers were becoming increasingly frustrated with the “hassle and complexity of passwords” and ready to embrace passkeys, which would help “turn the tide against the ongoing plague of data breaches and identity theft.”

Amazon customers can enroll in the new passkey capability today through a browser or the iOS Shopping app with the passkey update.

Select “Your Account,” choose “Login & Security,” then “Set up,” with “Passkeys” and then the setup instructions will follow. Once a passkey has been added to the account, they can be used to sign in on supported devices and browsers using a PIN or biometrics.

“This is about giving customers ease-of-use and security simultaneously in their Amazon experience,” said Dave Treadwell, senior vice president of e-commerce at Amazon. “While passwords will still be around in the foreseeable future, this is an exciting step in the right direction.”

Amazon is following a host of other companies that are beginning to roll out passkey support including Google LLC, which recently said that it will begin prompting users to set up passkeys by default. Google first provided the option for passkeys for user accounts in May and then extended them to Google Workspace in June.

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