Tech
Passkeys: the end of passwords, explained in two minutes
A passkey replaces your password with a cryptographic key stored on your phone or computer and unlocked with your face, fingerprint or device PIN. There is nothing to type and nothing to steal: a fake login page gets nothing, because the passkey only works on the real site. It is the biggest security improvement in twenty years and most people have not turned it on.
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How to turn one on
Go to the account's security settings and look for "passkeys" or "sign in with face/fingerprint." The site creates the key and your device stores it. Keep your password as a backup until you have used the passkey a few times. A password manager can store passkeys too, which is the right place for a family that shares one.
For a parent
Passkeys are easier for an older adult than passwords: nothing to remember, nothing to type, and the scam page that asks for a password gets nowhere. Set it up on their email and bank first.
Questions people ask
- What if I lose my phone?
- Passkeys sync to your Apple or Google account (or your password manager). Sign in on the new device and they are there. Keep your account recovery options current.
- Is a passkey the same as two-factor authentication?
- It replaces both the password and the code. It is stronger than either, because there is nothing to phish.