Technologies

Microsoft Will Erase Your Passwords on Aug.1: Do This ASAP

If Microsoft Authenticator is your password manager, you’re running out of time to move your passwords.

As of Aug. 1, Microsoft will be deleting passwords from its Authenticator app. This means that passwords stored there will no longer be accessible, which could be a problem for a lot of users.

Microsoft Authenticator has been one of the best password managers for years, offering options for saved passwords, two-factor authentication and auto-fill. However in just a few short days, all of that is going away as Microsoft moves to passkeys instead. This means that logins will move from remembering specific passwords, to using PINs, fingerprint scans, facial recognition or pattern using a device’s lock screen.

Using a passkey can make your account safer, and it’s a move I’m excited about. I recently uncovered that 49% of US adults have risky password habits that can open the door to scammers getting access to your sensitive data.

If you’re a fan of Authenticator and not sure where to start before the switch, here are other password managers CNET recommends and steps you should take before August.

When will Microsoft Authenticator stop supporting passwords?

Microsoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition like Windows Hello, or other biometric data like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you’re logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your accounts. In June, the company stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator.

Starting this month, you won’t be able to use the autofill password function. And next month, you’ll no longer be able to use saved passwords.

If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them in Microsoft Edge. However, CNET experts recommend adopting passkeys during this transition. «Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords to access their online accounts,» Tomaschek said.

Why are passkeys a better alternative to passwords?

So what exactly is a passkey? It’s a credential created by the Fast Identity Online Alliance that uses biometric data or a PIN to verify your identity and access your account. Think about using your fingerprint or Face ID to log into your account. That’s generally safer than using a password that is easy to guess or susceptible to a phishing attack.

«Passwords can be cracked, whereas passkeys need both the public and the locally stored private key to authenticate users, which can help mitigate risks like falling victim to phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks,» said Attila Tomaschek, CNET’s software senior writer and digital security expert.

Passkeys aren’t stored on servers like passwords. Instead, they’re stored only on your personal device. More conveniently, this takes the guesswork out of remembering your passwords and the need for a password manager.

How to set up a passkey in Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft said in a May 1 blog post that it will automatically detect the best passkey to set up and make that your default sign-in option. «If you have a password and ‘one-time code’ set up on your account, we’ll prompt you to sign in with your one-time code instead of your password. After you’re signed in, you’ll be prompted to enroll a passkey. Then the next time you sign in, you’ll be prompted to sign in with your passkey,» according to the blog post.

To set up a new passkey, open your Authenticator app on your phone. Tap on your account and select «Set up a passkey.» You’ll be prompted to log in with your existing credentials. After you’re logged in, you can set up the passkey.

Other password manager alternatives

Since Microsoft will get rid of all of your passwords in two weeks, you’ll need a new place to store your passwords safely. Tomaschek has a few of the best password manager recommendations after testing and reviewing several.

The top recommendation is Bitwarden for its transparency. It’s open-source and audited annually. From a price perspective, the free plan lets you store infinite passwords across unlimited devices. The free plan also includes features most password managers would charge for, including password sharing and a username and password generator.

Bitwarden’s upgraded plans have other upgraded features that could be worth the cost, too.

Personally, Tomaschek has been using 1Password for a while, and he likes the interface and family plan. Even though it’s second on the list, Tomaschek says it’s just as good as Bitwarden.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, July 22

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 22.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

I’m always pumped for a Star Wars reference in the Mini Crossword! You should figure out 4-Down pretty quickly if you’ve been following the more recent movie entries. Read on for help with today’s Mini Crossword. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Get ready for a vacation
Answer: PACK

5A clue: How you might feel after riding a roller coaster
Answer: DIZZY

6A clue: «All things being ___ …»
Answer: EQUAL

7A clue: Small donkey of the Southwest
Answer: BURRO

8A clue: Items shot from cannons at basketball games
Answer: TEES

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Spark, as curiosity
Answer: PIQUE

2D clue: Sky-blue hue
Answer: AZURE

3D clue: Government policy leaders
Answer: CZARS

4D clue: ___ Ren, villain in the «Star Wars» universe
Answer: KYLO

5D clue: What an i.o.u. represents
Answer: DEBT

Technologies

Yes, You Can Still Get Games for Less Than $50. These Are the Best I’ve Played

Video game prices are going up, but these titles cost less without sacrificing quality.

It’s no secret that video games are likely going to cost more in 2026. It’s already been confirmed that some AAA games, like The Outer Worlds 2, will be priced at $80 when they come out. It’s ironic that a game that satirizes corporate greed should be the first official title with a higher price, but here we are.

However, another trend has quietly emerged over the past few months: Many great AA games are being released for $50 or less. A lot of these titles are currently on sale, too, so you can pick them up even cheaper right now.

As an avid gamer, I’ve found a lot more affordable titles that are well worth your consideration. One is even the top contender for Game of the Year. And who knows, maybe one of them will end up being your new favorite game.

The best games for $50 or less right now

Claire Obscur: Expedition 33
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
FBC Firebreak
Elden Ring Nightreign
Helldivers 2
Alan Wake II

The best games for $50 or less

Technologies

Google Teases Pixel 10 Ahead of August Reveal

The Pixel 10 looks identical to the Pixel 9, from what we can see so far.

Google has lifted the curtains on the Pixel 10, its flagship phone for 2025, via a short clip posted on the Google Store homepage on Monday. The Pixel 10 will likely be fully revealed at a Made by Google event in New York on Aug. 20.

The teaser video simply shows the back of the device with the Pixel’s prominent oval-shaped camera bar, along with a flash and sensor of some sort. It follows a similar design to past Pixels, but whereas the Pixels 6, 7 and 8 all had camera bars that ran edge-to-edge, the Pixel 9 and 10’s camera bar is an island. The more affordable Pixel 9A from earlier this year doesn’t sport any sort of camera bump, and instead sits flush with the device.

It comes after a series of leaks about the device have hit the internet over the last few months, including the phone being spotted during a commercial shoot on the streets of Vancouver back in May.

Current Pixel 10 rumors point to a very similar design to last year’s handset, with some strong internal upgrades. Notably, the Tensor 5 chip will be made by TSMC on a 3nm process, according to an Android Authority report from March. Previous Tensor chips were made by Samsung.

The screen on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will see a boost from 2,700 nits to 3,000 nits, according to another Android Authority report. It’ll also get a battery bump to 5,015 mAh, a 7% increase from last year’s foldable.

As for cameras, the Pixel 10 will reportedly get the 50-megapixel Samsung GN8 wide-angle lens, an 11MP 3J1 telephoto lens (the 3J1 will also be used for the selfie camera) and Sony’s 13-megapixel IMX712 ultrawide lens. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold likely won’t have the same high-end camera array, as foldable phones have less room to work with.

The Pixel 10 will almost certainly be powered by Android 16 and will have a slew of AI features.

Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for further comment.

While Google’s hardware business is a small part of the company’s overall revenue, the Pixel line does serve an important role in signaling to other hardware partners where the company sees the future of its Android mobile operating system. Pixel phones, which seldom focus on raw power, deliver clean user interfaces with strong computational photography.

The well-reviewed Pixel portfolio does put Google in a somewhat awkward position with hardware partners that decided to make Android devices rather than go off and make their own operating systems. With Google’s own phones, the tech giant is directly competing with Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola and others.

While Samsung is the second largest handset maker worldwide (behind Apple), according to Statcounter, Google has been eating away at market share in certain markets. With the release of the Pixel 9 last year, Google made strong inroads in North American markets.