It’s no secret that the average user doesn’t take password security seriously. Studies have shown that most people have more than 100 passwords and that 85% of users admit to having the same password for multiple accounts. As you can probably guess, this can leave you open to a wide range of security issues. In order to protect users from themselves, Microsoft has added new password protection features to Windows 11 that should hamper some of your worst practices when it comes to your online security.
If you use your password on a malicious website that could be a phishing scam, Windows 11 will put up a warning message that encourages you to change your password.If you input your password on a site or app that is known to be unsecured for credential storage, like Notepad or Google Sheets, a warning message will come up suggesting you don’t do that.If you reuse a password on a new site, a warning message will pop up encouraging you to use another password or change your existing password.
The password protection features are enabled by default, but you’ll have to turn on a few settings to get the whole experience. So, we went through the process ourselves and can walk you through it step by step. Here’s how to enable password protection features on Windows 11:
Head to the Settings page in Windows 11Click on Privacy & security on the leftSelect Windows Security at the topClick on App & browser control to open a new windowSelect Reputation-based protection settings in blueScroll down to Phishing protection and make sure it’s turned onSelect all three boxes below:Warn me about malicious apps and sitesWarn me about password reuseWarn me about unsafe password storage
Once you’ve done that, you should be all set! There are a few other requirements to have these features work, though, like disabling Windows Hello (biometric) access to your device and doing away with PIN code access as well. Basically, you have to be signing into your device with your Windows password to properly enable these security features. Easier said than done, though. Considering every one of your online accounts needs to be unique, long, and complicated, it’s nearly impossible for the human brain to keep track of all those passwords without the occasional repeat. That’s where password managers can really help. These online tools keep track of all your passwords in a secure, encrypted vault and auto-fill your credentials when you visit a site. Some of them even suggest robust passwords and alert you when your logins have been compromised, so you can change them as fast as possible.
