How we made it easier for millions of users to sign into government services
AI Summary
The UK Government Digital Service (GDS) integrated passkeys into GOV.UK One Login, allowing 23 million users across 250 services to authenticate using device biometrics or passcodes instead of passwords and SMS multi-factor authentication. Within the first month, nearly 10% (300,000 users) adopted passkeys. The rollout involved extensive user research, accessibility testing, and collaboration with the NCSC, NHS Login, and the FIDO Alliance to reduce cognitive load and enhance security.
Key Takeaways
- GOV.UK One Login serves 23 million users across over 250 government services.
- Passkeys reduce sign-in time by more than half and eliminate text message-based authentication costs.
- The GDS team conducted three rounds of user research over a year to refine clear messaging around biometrics and accessibility.
Why it matters
Eliminating passwords and SMS authentication via passkeys improves security against phishing while significantly cutting authentication costs and sign-in friction for millions of citizens, serving as a blueprint for large-scale public sector identity management.
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