In an age where “password fatigue” is very real—where every online account seemingly demands its own unique string of characters—passkeys have emerged as a beacon of hope. Built on the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) standards, passkeys replace passwords with cryptographic keys stored securely on your device, authenticated through Windows Hello’s facial recognition, fingerprint sensor, or PIN. Recently, Microsoft took a significant step toward a truly passwordless future by opening up Windows 11’s passkey framework to third‑party providers—starting with a beta version of 1Password.

Windows 11 supports a plugin model for passkeys, Microsoft announced in its latest Insider blog posts, revealing a collaboration with 1Password to deliver a seamless passkey provider integration. Rather than limiting you to passkeys stored in Microsoft Edge or your Microsoft account, Windows 11 can now surface credentials from any compliant provider directly within its native authentication dialogs. Although this release is limited to the 1Password Beta, the underlying platform capability is universal—opening the door for Bitwarden, Dashlane, and others to plug in down the line.

Under the hood, this isn’t a cosmetic tweak. It’s a platform‑level API that allows any credential manager to register as a “plugin credential manager” with Windows 11. When a site or app requests a passkey login, Windows will query all installed providers and display them alongside built‑in options. The result? A truly unified, passwordless experience across your entire ecosystem of apps and services.

If you’re eager to test this feature yourself, here are the tips:

1. Join the Windows Insider Program on your Windows 11 PC, and switch to either the Dev Channel (Build 26200.5670+) or the Beta Channel (Build 26120.4520+).
2. Install the cumulative update: KB5060838 on Dev or KB5060834 on Beta.
3. Download and install the latest 1Password Beta for Windows.
4. Enable the plugin: Head to Settings > Passkeys > Advanced options, toggle on the plugin credential manager, and complete a Windows Hello verification (face, fingerprint, or PIN).

Once set up, you can use existing passkeys stored in 1Password or create new ones that Windows will manage as if they were native. As with most Insider builds, the Dev and Beta channels are functionally identical in this regard—so pick whichever you’re comfortable with.