One Account Required

Steerpike said:

Edit To Add: the only part of the above that I'm not 100% sure about is #2; I don't use Edge to store passwords, so I don't know how Edge is securing access to such info; but based on OP's comments, it seems like Edge is prompting him for the MS Account credentials in order to access stored password info, so that makes sense.

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Your rant doesn't speak "IT professional", but...

And Edge will ONLY ask for credentials if you ask Edge to reveal a password. This is not something that's just done willy nilly. The end user has to specifically ask Edge to show a password by going to Settings, clicking on "Passwords" and clicking the "eye" icon (show Password) for a given account. One you click that you will be asked to provide your Microsoft Account credentials. If you use biometrics, that will work too.

Once the credentials are supplied, you can than see that password, and clicking any other account will also reveal its password since you're already supplied your credentials.

Once you quit Edge your login session will close for revealing passwords will end so you would need to repeat the process if you wanted to review passwords again. I see no issues with that.

Regardless, instead of lambasting the Microsoft Account system, how about recognizing there is a bit of confusion on the OP's part.

@Dru2. Agreed am not an IT pro or even a "new broom" anymore, just a user not yet demented .

Keep well everyone.

ess1 said:

@Dru2. Agreed am not an IT pro or even a "new broom" anymore, just a user not yet demented .

Keep well everyone.

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Are you able to make screenshots and post them here? That could overcome the communication issue via words only.

Dru2 said:

Your rant doesn't speak "IT professional", but...

And Edge will ONLY ask for credentials if you ask Edge to reveal a password. This is not something that's just done willy nilly. The end user has to specifically ask Edge to show a password by going to Settings, clicking on "Passwords" and clicking the "eye" icon (show Password) for a given account. One you click that you will be asked to provide your Microsoft Account credentials. If you use biometrics, that will work too.

Once the credentials are supplied, you can than see that password, and clicking any other account will also reveal its password since you're already supplied your credentials.

Once you quit Edge your login session will close for revealing passwords will end so you would need to repeat the process if you wanted to review passwords again. I see no issues with that.

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Thanks for the explanation; makes sense. I have always felt that saving passwords in the browser is an unnecessary risk and leads to negative consequences, so I've never experienced what you described above but it's good information to know.

Dru2 said:

Regardless, instead of lambasting the Microsoft Account system, how about recognizing there is a bit of confusion on the OP's part.

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Clearly, without a shadow of a doubt, there is confusion on the OP's part. But I'm sympathetic to his confusion (and by explaining it, it may just help reduce the confusion of the OP). I spent a good part of my career supporting end users, and having empathy for what confuses them is an important part of the job. I've personally assisted about 5 end users recently in trying to sort out the confusion between 'accounts'; it's a real phenomenon. In this case, MS have chosen to allow the use of 'an existing, external Account' (eg, a google account) as the key to the 'MS Account'. So you have a situation where a password-protected account (gmail account) is the key to another password protected account (MS account), where each has its own password (with one account password obfuscated with a PIN).

I do feel that by introducing the PIN (or face recognition) they are introducing the unintended consequence of causing users to forget their actual password, and this can become an issue if you ever need to access the account outside of the machine you normally use.

Steerpike said:

I do feel that by introducing the PIN (or face recognition) they are introducing the unintended consequence of causing users to forget their actual password, and this can become an issue if you ever need to access the account outside of the machine you normally use.

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That's certainly a possibility, though I'm of the mindset you should always know your Microsoft account credentials, especially since you used them to setup your account. If you have an issue with pin and/or bio, that MS account username / password will be needed.

Yeah, you could make the argument not to use it, but I'm talking those who do, and get comfortable with pin or bio.

Anyway, again, I'm not so sure the OP is clear on what's going on as they mention various apps and accounts, so...