What if we tell you that you will not need to remember passwords? Apple‘s Passkeys eliminate the need to remember passwords or even type them to log in. And it is far more secure than the good old passwords.
But there is a catch. Passkeys are available for select apps and websites and only on iOS and macOS. Soon, it would be coming to Android, as well, with a promise to add more services.
What are Apple Passkeys
Passkeys are unique digital keys, to be exact, a pair of public and private cryptographic keys that ought to replace passwords. The Passkeys are based on FIDO Alliance and W3C standards and use Apple’s Keychain to sync the keys across Apple devices. These work with the Face ID and Touch ID found on iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
How do Apple Passkeys work
The Passkeys on Apple devices work similarly to Keychain, which auto-fills the username and password. But with Passkeys, there is no password to fill in.
You need to create the account as you do, but there is no need to think of a password, as it gets replaced by a “unique” cryptographic key pair that can never be guessed or used, unlike passwords.
So, whenever you log in or create an account, the device and service exchange public-private cryptographic keys to prove the user’s identity. The device itself confirms the user’s identity using Face ID or Touch ID, depends what device you are using.
The private key gets saved on the iCloud Keychain, and the service or website saves the other. Thus, you can log in using any of the devices linked to your Apple ID.
Which apps or websites support Apple Passkeys
Only a handful of services support the Passkeys as of now. These are Twitter, WordPress, Microsoft, Zoho, Facebook, Github, Paypal, GoDaddy, Google, Kayak, and Paypal, to name a few. Though, the Passkeys would soon be available on Chrome and Android devices, letting users log in using their iPhones.
How to use Apple Passkeys
To use the Passkeys, first, you need to enable the iCloud Keychain on your iPhone.
Here’s how to enable iCloud Keychain on iPhone.
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Now, tap the profile > iCloud > Passwords and Keychain.
- Now, turn on Sync this iPhone.
Do note that you will need to enter your iCloud password to enable sync. Now, you need to enable two-factor authentication.
Follow the steps mentioned below to enable two-factor authentication on iPhone.
- Open Settings.
- Tap your name on top.
- Now, tap Two-Factor Authentication, and follow the prompts shown.
Now, you can create and manage Passkeys on your iPhone.
How to create and manage Apple Passkeys
Creating a Passkey is easy. All you have to do is open the website or app that supports the Passkey. Then, proceed to sign up, upon which a prompt will appear asking if you want to save a passkey for the email. Here you continue or further customise the options, such as if you want to save the Passkey, save it on another iPhone, iPad, or Android device, or use an external key.
You can manage the saved Passkeys on your iPhone. To access saved Passkeys, go to Settings, then tap Passwords. If you want to delete a Passkey, tap on it and choose delete, or you can also add notes.
