Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

Yahoo's New Email Option: No Password, No Problem At SXSW, the company unveiled a phone-based, password-free login.

By Carly Okyle

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

FirmBee | Pixabay

There are so many passwords to remember -- email, bank accounts, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, news subscriptions, just to name a few. Trying to keep in mind which combination of letters and numbers and symbols goes to what site can be frustrating and time-consuming, which is probably why people routinely use obvious ones that are easy to remember -- and easy to hack.

Knowing this, Yahoo has created a way to permit access to their email without entering passwords, which it introduced at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, on Sunday.

Yahoo's new system allows for a one-time use password to be sent to users' phones on-demand whenever they want to log into their accounts. The company's director of product management, Chris Stoner, explained the steps to using this method in a blog post. Yahoo users can opt in through the security tab on their account information page. While it's only available to users in the United States, there is no word yet on if or when the service will be available internationally.

Related: To Stand Out at SXSW, Give Them Something to Tweet About

This is helpful because it prevents hackers who have guessed one password from having access to various portions of someone's Internet presence, but this one-step process has drawbacks, too. The login key is sent to a user's phone, which means that any lost phone can lead to a hacked email account.

Typically, a two-step process is used. A user will enter a password to access his email, and then a verification code is sent to that user's phone. Once the user enters the code -- usually a short set of random numbers -- their inbox appears.

This new method is "the first step to eliminating passwords," said Dylan Casey, Yahoo's vice president of product management for consumer platforms.

Related: What You Missed (So Far) at SXSW: Flying Cars, Bacon Bourbon Cocktails

Carly Okyle

Assistant Editor, Contributed Content

Carly Okyle is an assistant editor for contributed content at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Travel

Save on Business Travel for Life This Memorial Day with an $80 Deal

OneAir Elite uses AI to search the web around the clock for flight deals.

Devices

Keep Business Private with a Second Phone Number for $20

Hushed offers users a virtual number that can take calls and messages privately from their personal number.

Business News

Did OpenAI steal Scarlett Johansson's voice? 5 Critical Lessons for Entrepreneurs in The AI Era

Did OpenAI steal Scarlett Johansson's voice? OpenAI has since paused the "Sky" voice feature, but Johansson argues that this is no coincidence. In response, Johansson delivers a masterclass for entrepreneurs on navigating the AI era successfully.