At last summer’s Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple announced Passkeys, a replacement for passwords that are “designed to provide websites and apps a password-less sign-in experience that is both more convenient and more secure.”
Apple says that Passkeys are a standard-based technology that, unlike passwords, are resistant to phishing, are always strong, and are designed so that there are no shared secrets. They’re designed to simplify account registration for apps and websites, are easy to use, and work across all of your Apple devices, and even non-Apple devices within physical proximity. Users can use Face ID and Touch ID to authenticate their account.
Here’s how to save a passkey for an account:
Depending on the website, browser, or app, saving a passkey to your iPhone and iCloud Keychain usually consists of steps similar to these.
- On your iPhone or iPad, do one of the following:
- For a new account: On the account sign-up screen, enter an account name.
- For an existing account: Sign in with your password, then go to the account management screen.
- When you see the option to save a passkey for the account, tap Continue. Your passkey is saved.
If you want to save your credentials to an external security key or to a different device not associated with your Apple ID, you may be able to select Other Options, Save on Another Device, or similar (instead of Continue). Then follow the onscreen instructions.
How to sign into an account on your iPhone or iPad with a passkey:
Depending on the website, browser, or app, signing in with your passkey usually consists of steps similar to these.
- On the sign-in screen for the website or app, tap the account name field.
- Tap the account suggested at the bottom of the screen or near the top of the keyboard.
- If your iPhone has Touch ID, follow the onscreen instructions to verify your identity. Otherwise, Face ID verifies your identity.
