Apple, Google and Microsoft have announced a joint effort to support a new type of online sign-in which could replace passwords with more secure alternatives. The technology giants agreed to support a common password-less sign-in which has been created by industry body the Fido Alliance and World Wide Web Consortium. It involves a standard that is designed to simplify the process, allowing people to sign in to websites and apps the way they unlock a device – with a fingerprint, face scan or a device PIN that can verify their identity. Experts say it will enable people to access and use their new password-less sign-in credentials – known as a passkey – across different devices. This will prevent people from having to sign in to every account again on each device, reducing the risk of using easily guessable passwords. This is a feature already in place for Apple devices, where someone wearing an Apple Watch can unlock a phone or MacBook.