Every now and then, you are asked to key in your Google Account password online despite that you are already signed in. Interestingly, you can now sign in to Google websites by simply using your fingerprint on Android. The search engine giant recently launched its first-ever first-party web services that verify the user's identity with just a fingerprint.
When gaining access to delicate data, most of the time, Google shows the sign-in screens once again to verify that it is really you. For instance, passwords.google.com reveals a list of saved credentials. However, to be able to access these addresses and passwords, you have to key in your main Google Account login or your phone's log in pin code.
The search engine giant is creating this process much more convenient and a whole lot faster on Android devices by simply replacing the online password or phone screen lock with your fingerprint. This includes passwords and pins, and in the future, face unlock. This recent move applies to certain Google services on the web, which includes the Password Manager. According to Google, users will begin seeing more places where local options to passwords are accepted as a form of authentication mechanism for Google Cloud services, and Google as the company continues to welcome the FIDO2 standard.
The search engine giant is taking advantage of the WebAuthn standards and the FIDO2. These procedures enable both websites and native apps to leverage from the fingerprint that the user already registered when they first got their smartphones. One of the crucial benefits of utilizing FIDO2 as opposed to the native fingerprint APIs on Android is that these biometric functionalities, for the first time ever, are available on the web. This enables credentials to be utilized by both web services and native apps.
The search engine giant also explained how the user's actual fingerprint remains on the device and is not sent to any servers. In other words, the fingerprint is just the cryptographic evidence that the user has correctly scanned is sent for authentication. This convenient sign-in is now available on Google Pixel and other devices running on Android 7.0+ devices that have a personal Google account and screen lock.
This will be rolled out in the following days and can be tried on the Google Passwords site. To do this, open the Google Chrome app on your Android device. Then go to https://passwords.google.com. Select a website to manage or view your saved password. Simply follow the instructions and confirm that it is you trying to log in.
