iPhone will remove passwords next month. Here's how to log in.

Apple is ready to launch its plan to eliminate passwords to combat hackers within the next few days. By the end of the year, every iPhone user will have the option to ditch passwords in favour of Apple's sleek new replacement. Contrary to popular belief, passwords are not an effective method of security.

Passwords are ineffective, and cyber security professionals have warned about this for years. Passwords that are too simple can be guessed, while those that are too complex can be hacked or leaked.

More and more of our lives, including our personal information, are now stored online, requiring us to check in to a wider variety of apps and services than ever before. Later this year, Apple will release iOS 16 for iPhones and macOS Ventura for Macs, both of which do away with the need for a password.

The company revealed the significant update at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference 2022 in June. And in September, when iOS 16 debuts alongside the rumoured iPhone 14 (now only a few weeks away), it'll all start to come together.

The innovative Passkeys mechanism is what makes this possible. Passkeys will be used in place of passwords when registering for (or logging into) online services. A digital key doesn't require you to keep track of anything.

You can use Touch ID or Face ID on an iPhone or Mac to prove your identity. Just as fast as login, with the added security of a password that cannot be easily guessed or leaked.

Passkeys are saved locally, but they'll be synchronised across your Apple devices via iCloud Keychain. Not even Apple can access your private Passkeys. As a result, phishing attacks will be rendered futile because the target will have no way to obtain sensitive information from you, such as a password.

The long-term goal is to make Passkeys compatible with devices other than Apple's, such as Windows computers and Android phones. Microsoft and Google have been working on passwordless systems for many years. The updated iOS 16 is scheduled to be released in September.

You can sign up for the iOS 16 public beta right now. Be sure you get iOS 16 as soon as it becomes available, once it has been completely released. It may protect you from harmful cyber attacks. For the time being, you should use robust, service-specific passwords. Apple's iCloud Keychain allows you to generate and save strong passwords on your iOS device.