Microsoft has announced that, starting in June, you’ll no longer be able to save new passwords in the Microsoft Authenticator app. By August, saved passwords and autofill will stop working entirely — unless you use Edge, Microsoft’s own browser(new window).
This means if you want to keep using Microsoft’s password management features, you’ll need to step further into Microsoft’s walled garden and submit to Edge’s data collection. And while this might look like a technical update, it reflects the inescapable logic of walled gardens: It’s a clear shift toward its own ecosystem that restricts choice under the guise of convenience or security.
According to Microsoft’s own documentation(new window), this is part of a broader realignment of services. But behind the careful phrasing is a simple truth — features that once worked anywhere now only work wherever Microsoft wants you to be.
A slow narrowing of the web
This move is part of a broader pattern in Big Tech. Apple’s passkeys sync exclusively through iCloud. Google continues to tie identity and login services to its entire ecosystem. And now, Microsoft, after attempting to build its own walled gardens with Windows 365(new window) and OpenAI(new window), is limiting password management to Edge.
These changes often come in small steps. Gradually, choice erodes, and systems that once worked broadly start to work best only when you’re locked inside one company’s walled garden. Once you’re in the walled garden, these companies move swiftly to monetize you at every opportunity (for example, Outlook’s new data collection or Gmail wedging ads in between your emails).
Privacy that depends on a platform isn’t privacy
When basic features are tied to specific tools, user control takes a back seat. You no longer decide how your information is handled or where it’s stored. That decision gets made for you — and often, it’s made to benefit the platform, not the person using it.
Microsoft Authenticator was a simple, dedicated tool that allowed users to store and autofill logins across platforms. Like most Microsoft products, Authenticator collected data, but wasn’t equipped to track across the internet.
By forcing users to move their logins to Edge, Microsoft appears to be imitating Google’s playbook with Chrome(new window). It can now tie your accounts to your browsing history and track you much more effectively.
This shows how central walled gardens are to the business models of today’s internet. Despite authorities in Europe(new window) and the USA(new window) investigating unfair bundling and gatekeeping, Big Tech cannot stop pushing toward centralized identity systems that are harder to leave and less transparent by design.
Privacy is about more than encryption. It’s about autonomy. If you can’t choose the tools that protect your identity, how private can your digital life really be?
What you can do
This change might feel technical or obscure. But it has a direct impact on how you use the internet and how much data collection you subject yourself to.
The good news is, there’s a lot you can do to push back.
Choose open-source alternatives.
When you use open-source tools, you’re not just picking a product — you’re supporting an ecosystem that values transparency, user control, and public accountability. These projects don’t hide how they work, and that openness makes them safer. If you care about digital freedom, this is one of the clearest ways to vote with your clicks.
Support cross-platform solutions.
Avoid tools that only work with one browser, operating system, or device. Look for services that offer true interoperability — the ability to switch platforms without losing access or features. Password managers, email providers, and cloud tools should work where you work, not where a single company decides.
Contribute to open standards.
Whether you’re a developer or simply a supporter, backing initiatives like WebAuthn(new window) and FIDO2 helps shape a future where authentication is secure and portable. These standards are the foundation for a more decentralized, privacy-respecting internet. Get involved, donate, share knowledge, or just advocate for their adoption.
Hold platforms accountable for UX choices.
Design isn’t neutral. When companies make it harder to switch tools or find certain settings, that’s a choice — and often a strategic one. Call it out. Push for transparency and user-first design. Advocate for interfaces that prioritize agency, not retention.
And, finally, speak up.
These changes are often introduced quietly, but they have long-term consequences. If you’re a tech advocate or developer, talk about them. Share your concerns. Pressure works — especially when it’s collective. Platforms listen when enough people raise their voices. Silence, on the other hand, is easy to interpret as agreement.
Take back control with Proton Pass
Microsoft’s decision to lock password autofill behind Edge is just the latest example of how Big Tech designs products to keep you dependent. At Proton, we believe you deserve better.
Proton Pass is our end-to-end encrypted password manager built on transparency, open standards, and user choice. It works across all major browsers and devices. We don’t believe in walled gardens, and we don’t hold your data hostage behind a specific browser or app.
With Proton Pass, your passwords belong to you — and only you. No forced platform, no hidden trade-offs, no surprise restrictions.
If you want a tool that respects your privacy and gives you back control of your digital identity, Proton Pass is a better way forward.
Real privacy doesn’t come with conditions. And the best technology is the kind that lets you choose.
