
Microsoft, a leading tech giant has recently introduced a significant change to its account sign-in process. From February 2025 onwards, the new update will keep the users automatically signed in to their accounts unless they manually sign out or use private browsing.
We bring to you everything you need to know about the recent changes and how to stay secure.
Stay signed in by default.
At present, when someone signs in to a Microsoft account, the users are prompted to choose whether they want to stay signed in for future sessions. Beginning from February 2025 onwards, this option will be replaced by an automatic sign-in feature. Unless users actively log out or use a private browsing mode, their accounts will remain signed in on the device.
This change is particularly important for those who are using public or shared computers. If you forget to log out, your account will stay signed in, which might pose a potential security risk to the user.
How to stay secure on public computers
For users who frequently access their Microsoft accounts on public PCs, it is important to adopt these practices:
- Use private browsing: By using private browsing, one must practice using a private or incognito window when signing in.
- Sign out after use: The user must ensure that you manually log out from your account whenever your session ends.
- Force sign-out: If you forget to log out, you could remotely sign out of all sessions through your Microsoft account settings. This will disconnect your account from all browsers and apps, except Xbox consoles.
Enhanced security with Passkeys
Microsoft has recently come up with passkey support for all consumer accounts, which will add an extra layer of security. You could set up passkeys and sign in using methods like:
- Face recognition
- PIN
- Fingerprint authentication
- Security keys
To create a passkey for your account, one needs to visit Microsoft’s official passkey setup page.
Why this change is important?
The new automatic sign-in feature in Microsoft aims at streamlining the user experience, by reducing the need to repeatedly log in on personal devices. However, it further highlights the importance of maintaining security practices, especially when accessing accounts on shared or public devices.
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Inputs from The Verge