Understanding and using Passkeys for a password-free future

We all hate passwords.

So imagine a world where you don't have to keep track of so many passwords! And where your password can't get stolen.

That future is here now, in the form of Passkeys.

Many websites now allow you to set up your online account with a passkey as your authentication method, rather than (or as well as) a password and multi-factor authentication.

Simply by signing in to a website/app on a device that is trusted by that website, and authenticating using that device (e.g. using Face ID, Touch ID or that device's password/password), you can avoid having to enter a password.

But what is a Passkey, how do you set them up, where are they stored, and how can you make sure that you can sign in using that passkey on any device/computer?

What is a Passkey?

​Instead of proving your identity to an online service/website by typing in a password, passkeys prove your identity by showing you have access to a device that has been registered with your online account (e.g. your iPhone).

Here is a short video from Microsoft that does a really good job of explaining Passkeys and how they work.

• What are passkeys? Explained in under 4 minutes​

Here also are some excellent articles by Passage, the makers of the popular password safe, 1Password.

• A Path Beyond Passwords
• Why Passkeys are Better
• Seven Misunderstandings About Passkeys​ ​

Setting up a Passkey

Here is an article from PC Mag, talking about setting up Passkeys for Apple devices, plus a couple of articles from Apple that describe Passkey technology in relation to their devices and iCloud Keychain.

• No More Passwords: How to Set Up Apple's Passkeys for Easy Sign-ins

• Use passkeys to sign in to apps and websites on iPhone
• About the security of passkeys – Apple Support (AU)

For my own accounts, I am gradually setting up Passkey sign-in for any accounts that offer this and using my iCloud Keychain to store these Passkeys - which means that sign-in to these accounts simply requires my Face ID or Touch ID from any of my Apple devices. (Note. I could choose not to store passwords in iCloud's Keychain, but then I am reliant on a single device for sign-in. After a past experience with the replacement of a malfunctioning phone and subsequent issues with sign-ins via Microsoft's Authenticator app, I now choose iCloud Keychain for all my passwords and multi-factor authentications.)
​
Here are a couple of articles about setting up a Passkey for your Google account, and how to manage passkeys in Chrome

• Sign in with a passkey instead of a password - Google Account Help
• Manage passkeys in Chrome - Android - Google Chrome Help

And here is where you can learn about setting up a Passkey for your Microsoft account. In fact, passkeys have only just become available this month for consumer Microsoft accounts.

• Signing in with a passkey - Microsoft Support

For other types of account, you can set up the Passkey when you create a new account.

For existing accounts, you must visit the site's password/security web page for your account, so that you can choose the option of setting up a Passkey (assuming this option is available for that website/service).

If you need to work out how to do this for a particular type of account, I recommend using Google to search for instructions - e.g. "How to set up a Passkey for my PayPal account". (And if you get stuck, you can always contact iTandCoffee for assistance/advice.)

What websites/services support Passkeys?

More and more websites/services are now supporting Passkeys for user accounts. ​

​Here is a website that provides an up-to-date list of websites/apps that support Passkeys:

• Passkeys directory

Here's how I set up a passkey for my Microsoft account

I have recorded a short handy hint for our  iTandCoffee Club members, showing how I went about setting up a Passkey for a Microsoft account - just to give an example of how setting up such a passkey works. Select the button below and sign in with your membership credentials to view this video. (And sorry, the iTandCoffee website can offer a passkey instead of a password at this point!)

Setting up a Passkey for a Microsoft account

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