How to enable passwordless sign in for Google services

Google is one of several online service providers that offers a password-free login system for your account, but knowing how to set it up can be tricky.

Accessing your email or account without ever entering a password might not feel like the safest thing in the world, but it’s an increasingly popular way of reducing friction for logins without compromising security. Better still, you can optionally use it as part of a two-factor authentication.

Up your cybersecurity with NordVPN – Now 62% off plus a random gift of either 3 months or 1 year extra subscription with every purchase. 

If you have to type in a password regularly, on a wide variety of devices, most people will choose something relatively short, easy to remember, and easy to type quickly. They’ll often re-use a familiar password, or change it only slightly. All of this increases the risk that your account will be compromised.

One solution to this is passwordless login. It works like this: when you try to log into your account, instead of entering your password, you’ll receive a challenge message on a designated device – often your phone. Respond to the challenge, for example by tapping approve on the phone or by selecting a number that matches the one displayed on-screen, and you’re logged in.

Your password is still required for high-security operations, like adding more two-factor authentication devices, but this reduces the number of places where you’ll have to physically type your password, meaning that it’s less inconvenient to use a long, very strong password.

It makes it very obvious if someone is trying to gain unauthorised access to your account. And it can even help protect you against keyloggers by reducing the number of places in which you’ll have to type your password in full.

There are downsides: losing your phone – or just forgetting it at home – becomes more of an inconvenience. And your phone will need an internet connection to pick up the login request.

To activate passwordless login on Google, you’ll need to delve into your account settings. Here’s a step-by-step guide.

You will need

• An Android or iOS smartphone associated with your Google account
• A desktop PC with internet access

The Short Version

1. Open your Google account security settings
2. Enable phone sign-in
3. Get started
4. Select your phone
5. Give it a test run
6. Approve it on your phone
7. Turn it on

You’ll now prompted to sign in on your phone every time you log into Google using a new browser (or one with freshly wiped cookies). It’s important to deny any login request unless you’ve actively making it yourself

For added security, you can also use this feature as a second authentication factor alongside your password – I strongly recommend using two-factor authentication wherever possible. Despite the requirement that your phone have an internet connection – not required by standard TOTP code based 2FA – it’s a convenient and accessible approach.