What is Passkey?

A passwordless credential built on WebAuthn that syncs across the user's devices via iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager, or a password manager.

Full explanation

A passkey is a WebAuthn credential designed for mainstream users. Unlike classic FIDO2 tokens, passkeys sync between the user's devices through their cloud provider. Phishing-resistant, requires no password, supported by Apple, Google, Microsoft, and all major browsers as of 2024+.

Example

The user signs into GitHub with a passkey. On their iPhone they use Face ID; on their Mac they use Touch ID; the same credential works on both because iCloud Keychain syncs it.

Related

Guide
Session security — revocation, idle timeout, rotation

FAQ

Can passkeys replace passwords?

Yes for most consumer accounts. Enterprise scenarios with strict hardware-binding sometimes prefer non-syncable FIDO2 keys.