Microsoft Uses Images as Passwords for Windows 8

This guide provides a practical overview of Microsoft uses images as passwords for Windows 8 with clear explanations and useful details. It focuses on the information users are most likely to need.

This feature is designed for touch screens, especially for tablets. According to Microsoft, this is an optional function next to the standard password with regular characters.

How Microsoft Uses Images as Passwords for Windows 8 Works

This security application works based on users's three-finger movement done on the photo. Users can draw lines, create dots or draw curves instead of entering security characters to unlock.

Users can create passwords with dots, circles or lines on images for computers running Windows 8. Photo: Microsoft.

Explaining on his blog, Microsoft advises users to choose a photo with many easily recognizable points such as a human face. This allows users to easily create lines to create passwords as well as convenient to remember passwords with this image.

Microsoft also identified with an image with 10 points of recognition, users can create 10 dots, 40 circles, 90 lines. Gathering all these options will create about 2.7 million passwords to protect computers.