Android's upcoming Identity Check will lock Chrome's password autofill behind biometrics

Key Takeaways

Google is working on an upcoming Identity Check feature which would force biometric authentication to access critical settings and apps.
The feature, an additional layer of defense against theft, ensures that knowing a passcode alone is insufficient for accessing critical areas of your device.
Identity Check will extend to Google Chrome, adding biometric security for password autofill, payment methods, sync settings, incognito mode, and more.

Google’s focus on security and privacy is clear with the Android 15-year-introduced Theft Detection and Private Space features. The former allows a Pixel device to recognize when it has been snatched from its owner’s hands, triggering a lockdown to prevent unauthorized access. The latter, which is akin to Samsung’s Secure Folder, essentially allows you to hide sensitive apps and prevent them from appearing in your regular app list.

Joining the two new features is an upcoming tool called Identity Check, which, as its name suggests, will add an additional layer of safety by requiring biometric authentication for accessing critical settings and it will work in tandem with important applications like Google Chrome.

A graphic depicting the Android 15 internal codename of Vanilla Ice Cream

How to set up and use Private Space in Android 15

Work and play, separated safely

Identity Check is slated to arrive sometime later this year, and it will prevent sensitive information on your device from being accessed — even if someone who has unauthorized access to your Pixel device knows your passcode. In a report for Android Authority, Mishaal Rahman detailed the upcoming feature, suggesting that if it is enabled, apps that would normally allow you to authenticate via passcode, PIN, pattern, etc., would necessitate stronger biometric authentication like having to scan your fingerprints or face.

So, essentially, if a shoulder surfer watches you put in your device’s passcode, and subsequently accesses your device through theft or deceit, just knowing the passcode won’t be enough for them to access your device’s Google account settings or sensitive apps. This can include settings like “changing your PIN, disabling theft protection, or accessing Passkeys from an untrusted location.”

Identity Check will extend to Google Chrome

Google Chrome is finally adding biometric security for auto-filled passwords on Android

No more bypassing and circumvention

In Rahman’s report, the OS expert suggests that extending beyond Android, the feature will be integrated with Google Chrome. For actions like autofilling passwords, the browser will require biometric authentication. The findings mirror Chrome expert @Leopeva64‘s findings from back in September, who indicated that “Chrome for Android will finally prompt you for authentication before filling in a password.”

Rahman has confirmed that Chrome will indeed utilize Android’s Identity Check to power its feature, and that it is explicitly tied to the upcoming Android 15 QPR1 release. Code for the feature has been added to the browser’s password autofill feature, and it is also making its way to code tied to payment methods, sync settings, and incognito mode. It is currently unclear if other Google apps are also building support for the feature.