Skip to content

Passkey

A passkey is a modern, secure way to log in to websites and apps without using a traditional password. It’s based on public-key cryptography, and it’s designed to be phishing-resistant, easy to use, and synced across your devices.

How It Works (Simplified)

Passkeys replace passwords with a cryptographic key pair:

  • Public key: Stored by the website or service.
  • Private key: Stored securely on your device (e.g., phone, laptop) and never shared.

What happens during login:

  • You visit a site that supports passkeys.
  • Your device authenticates you—usually via biometrics (Face ID, fingerprint) or a PIN.
  • Your device uses the private key to sign a challenge from the site.
  • The site verifies the signature using your public key and logs you in.

Benefits of Passkeys

  • No password to remember or type
  • Phishing-proof: You can’t be tricked into entering a passkey on a fake site
  • Resistant to data breaches: Even if a site is hacked, your private key isn’t exposed
  • Cross-device sync: On platforms like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, passkeys sync securely across your devices