Google has introduced a new feature for Android called “Restore Credentials” that will greatly simplify the process of transferring user data and logging into applications when changing devices. The function will automatically save authorization, eliminating the need to manually enter logins and passwords for each application.
Image source: Onur Binay / Unsplash
Previously, this feature was already supported by some applications, but now Google has simplified the task for developers by introducing the so-called “restore key”. As The Verge reports, this technology allows you to remain logged into applications immediately after they are launched for the first time.
The innovation makes the transition between Android phones more similar to the process of updating an iPhone. Thus, Apple users have long been accustomed to the fact that their data, including accounts and application data, is automatically transferred to new devices. However, for Android users, the process has so far been more labor intensive. Here is a diagram of using the “Credential Data Recovery” function:
Data transfer scheme. Image source: Google
Restore Credentials on Android makes the process much easier than the previous approach to this problem, as it automatically checks for the presence of a recovery key and activates it the first time you launch the app. This key is a public key that uses the existing Passkey infrastructure to carry authorization data.
Recovery keys can also be stored in the cloud, although app developers have the option to opt-out of this option. At the same time, direct transfer of data from device to device remains a more reliable method compared to restoring from the cloud, as happens on Apple devices. It’s important to note that recovery keys are not transferred if the user uninstalls the application and reinstalls it.