Windows 10 update will support more password-free logins

It's not just web browsers that are moving beyond passwords. Microsoft has revealed that Windows 10's next update will support the new FIDO 2.0 standard, promising password-free logins on any Windows 10 device managed by your company or office. You could previously use Windows Hello to avoid typing in a password, of course, but this promises to be more extensive -- you could use a USB security key to sign into your Azure Active Directory.

FIDO 2.0's centerpiece is Web Authentication, a standard that enables no-password sign-ins across a much wider spectrum of sites and services than before. Microsoft had already publicly committed to supporting the technology through its Edge browser, but this takes it to the operating system level. Don't be surprised if other OS developers follow suit, especially for work-oriented platforms where passwords are all too common.