Passkeys simplify security with biometric logins, so you don’t have to put as much effort into creating, saving, and recovering passwords. You can also bypass warnings about weak passwords and demands for more characters, including a capital letter, a number, and a symbol.
Passkeys are practical, easy to use, and safer than long and complex passwords. It’s time to learn how to avoid problems with passkeys while taking advantage of the benefits of this new technology.
What is a passkey?
We covered passkeys in depth, explaininghow Google passkeys replace passwords and how to set them up. Still, you might wonder what a passkey is. It provides two-factor authentication for strong security when logging in to your website accounts.
You can log in with a passkey from your phone with your fingerprint or from a device with face recognition. Evena budget-price Android phonecan make your logins faster, easier, and more secure. You can still use a password and, in some cases, a PIN code.
Since most people have a phone handy, using a passkey is quicker than typing a long and complicated password, particularly if you don’t use a password manager.
Passkeys aren’t perfect
In a perfect world, you might never need a password again. Just grab your phone and press your finger on the screen to log in to a website or app. In practice, things could be more difficult. For one, many websites and apps don’t support passkeys. That means you must keep track of passwords until every website and app implements this new system.
Another issue arises if you can’t use the phone you use for two-factor authentication. You can’t use a passkey if you lose your phone, the battery is dead, or it’s damaged.
As great as passkeys sound, this isn’t the ultimate security solution.
Set up passkeys on another phone or computer
Since your phone becomes a digital key to unlock your online accounts and apps, it’s good to have a backup solution. A password works, but a passkey is better.
After you’ve enjoyed passkeys for a few months, it becomes harder to remember passwords, so an alternate passkey can prevent getting locked out of your account. you’re able to, and should, create keys on multiple phones and computers.
Some websites and apps restrict which devices you can use for passkeys. For example, you can create a PayPal passkey for an Android phone, iPhone, or Mac. You can’t use a Windows laptop or computer as a passkey, even if it has a fingerprint reader or Windows Hello face recognition. That’s why it’s best to choose another phone as a backup passkey device if you have one available.
Use a physical security key (Yubikey) for extra security
If you don’t have another phone or a supported computer to use as a passkey, you might be able to use a physical security key. Put it on a key ring or necklace. That way, you won’t lose it and will have a reliable passkey or emergency backup.
While you might need to charge your phone daily, many security keys don’t even have a battery. That’s one of the reasons professionals consider a physical key to be a superior security device.
Share a passkey with friends and family
Suppose you want to share an account with someone else. It’s common to have a family account or an account that a roommate or close friend can use.
You can enjoy the ease and safety of passkeys while sharing with someone else. Apple’s password manager, iCloud Keychain, lets you create a passkey on a device that isn’t associated with your Apple ID.
you’re able to also create passkeys on other devices with third-party password managers like 1Password and NordPass.BitwardenandDashlane support passkeysand both plan to add passkey sharing.
Remove old passkeys
As convenient as passkeys are, leaving them active on an old phone or someone else’s device can be a security risk. You can remove the passkeys stored there if you lose access or no longer use a phone or computer.
Log in to the accounts associated with the passkeys and navigate to the security settings to find your passkeys for each account.
You should delete passkeys on devices you don’t recognize. If you make an error, you can add the passkeys again.
If a friend or family member loses or stops using a phone, delete the passkeys you shared with that device. you may create a new passkey on the new phone or computer so that they have access to a shared account.
Passkeys still require safety
Passkeys can make websites and apps more secure and easy to use since you’re less likely to be locked out of your account. Despite this technological advance, you still need to stay safe.
Don’t share your passkeys with everyone. Passkeys often require biometric verification, but sometimes, a PIN code is enough to authenticate from a trusted device. If someone else has that device, anyone with the device and the PIN could access your account.
Cleaning up old and shared passkeys on unused devices is important. With diligence, passkeys can make managing the ever-growing number of accounts you maintain in this digital world easier.
