Passkey (authentication)

A passkey is a digital credential that is used as an authentication method for a website or application. The passkeys standard is a type of passwordless authentication, promoted by the World Wide Web Consortium and the FIDO Alliance. They are often stored by the operating system or web browser and synchronized between devices from the same ecosystem using the cloud, however they can also be confined to a single device such as a physical security key.Passkeys are designed to be more convenient and phishing-resistant than conventional authentication methods. They are normally secured using possession (of the device or security key), and often utilize biometrics as an additional security factor, neither of which require the user to memorize a password. As of September 2023, over 99% of devices support WebAuthn, showcasing a broad readiness for passkey technology.In marketing material, the terms passkey or passkeys are preferred over related terms such as FIDO or WebAuthn, because they are less likely to cause confusion. It is a common misconception that passkeys are specific to Apple devices.