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Chrome to Support Fingerprint Scans on Android, Mac

Google's beta release for Chrome 70 adds support for the fingerprint sensors on Android devices and Touch ID on macOS, which will let website developers use biometrics for account sign-ins.

Michael Kan Icon By Michael Kan

September 14, 2018 3:09PM EST

Google is starting to push developers to make fingerprint scanning a log-in option on Chrome.

The new Google Chrome beta adds default support for the fingerprint sensors on Android devices and Touch ID on macOS, allowing website developers to use biometrics for account sign-ins.

In April, Google demoed how the fingerprint sensor on Android could revamp PayPal's login process. No need to enter a password to approve that purchase. Simply scan your fingerprint, and voila: PayPal will let you into your account.

Google Chrome Web Fingerprint

The fingerprint support is part of a new technology standard from the FIDO Alliance called Web Authentication. Many major tech companies, including Google and Microsoft, are members of the alliance, which is seeking to push the entire industry away from password-only login systems to more secure alternatives that are harder for hackers to crack.

Chrome's fingerprint support works by scanning your biometrics and generating a unique private key from it, which can then be used to unlock your online account. No actual fingerprint images are stored with the website provider. The scanning itself is confined to your phone's or computer's hardware.

There's currently no word on when Chrome will offer default support for the fingerprint sensors on Window laptops or Apple iPhones. Chrome 70 is expected as a stable release in October.

Mozilla's Firefox and Microsoft's Edge browser also recently added support for the Web Authentication standard. And Microsoft is working on using its Windows Hello feature to unlock your online accounts by tapping your computer's webcam to scan facial features and generate private keys, which can then be tied to website accounts.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/363770/chrome-to-support-fingerprint-scans-on-android-mac