How do passkeys work

Passkeys are a standards-based password replacement that offer a more secure and user-friendly way to sign in to accounts. They are designed to be resistant to phishing and other forms of credential theft. Here are some key points about how passkeys work:

1. Security and Ease of Use:

   • Passkeys eliminate the need for passwords, which are often phishable and can be forgotten or need resetting.
   • They provide a single tap or click sign-in experience, making the process faster and more secure (Streamline sign-in with passkey upgrades and credential managers).

2. Automatic Upgrades:

   • Apps can automatically upgrade existing accounts to use passkeys during sign-in, without requiring users to manually create a passkey (What’s new in privacy).
   • This process involves the system performing internal checks to decide if creating a passkey makes sense at the time, and if conditions are met, a passkey is created seamlessly (Streamline sign-in with passkey upgrades and credential managers).

3. Transition from Passwords:

   • The industry is moving away from passwords to passkeys, and automatic passkey upgrades are a step in this transition. This helps in gradually introducing passkeys to users (Streamline sign-in with passkey upgrades and credential managers).
   • The ultimate goal is to eliminate passwords entirely, but during the transition, passkeys can work alongside passwords (Streamline sign-in with passkey upgrades and credential managers).

4. Implementation:

   • Developers can add support for passkeys in their apps with minimal changes to their existing login flows. Automatic passkey registration can be added with a single new parameter (Platforms State of the Union).

For more detailed information, you can watch the session Streamline sign-in with passkey upgrades and credential managers.