Facebook Passkeys: Rollout Is Expected Soon

Discover how Facebook's passkey rollout will revolutionize authentication for the largest social network & learn about technical and strategical aspects behind.

We believe that passkeys make the Internet a safer place. That's why we aim to provide systematic analysis of the passkey flows of different companies as they move towards a password-free world.

1. WhatsApp's Passkey Rollout Paves the Way for Facebook and Instagram#

WhatsApp's recent adoption of passkeys has been a significant step in user authentication. Given the close relationship between WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, it's only logical to anticipate a similar passkey rollout for Facebook and Instagram. This move is particularly crucial for Facebook, a platform with a massive user base accessing the app primarily via mobile devices.

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2. Why Passkeys for Facebook?#

Statistics reveal a higher mobile device usage for Facebook compared to desktops. This trend aligns perfectly with the capabilities of passkeys. Our latest data analysis indicates that most mobile devices are well-equipped to handle passkeys. Starting with mobile, Facebook has the opportunity to extend passkey implementation to desktops, especially macOS desktops that already sync passwords via iCloud Keychain, without relying on third-party password managers like 1Password or Dashlane for syncing passkeys to desktop devices.

3. Facebook Supports Hardware Security Keys Already Today#

Facebook's current support for hardware security keys (e.g. YubiKeys), as detailed on their help page , lays a solid foundation for passkey implementation. This feature is already available for the web apps as well as native apps running on iOS 13.3 or higher and Android 7 or higher indicating Facebook's commitment to advanced security measures.

4. The Strategic Advantage of Passkeys for Facebook and Instagram#

Meta's introduction of passkeys in WhatsApp signals a broader strategy. Their learnings and gathered data during the WhatsApp rollout will likely influence the rollout for Facebook, leveraging the new Account Center that also supports Instagram and Meta Horizon. The integration of Instagram and Facebook logins suggests a simultaneous passkey rollout for both platforms. However, questions remain about the binding of passkeys to a specific relying party ID, a crucial factor in preventing phishing (however there are suggestions to improve this technical restriction, see here).

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5. Conclusion#

The anticipated rollout of passkeys at Facebook marks a significant shift in digital security and user convenience. When the largest social network world wide rolls out passkeys, we expect their adoption to accelerate even more (like it has done after e.g. Googles, GitHubs or Amazons rollout). Stay updated on the latest in passkey technology by subscribing to our passkeys Substack or joining our passkeys community on Slack. Don't miss any updates on the Facebook passkey rollout and be part of the future of secure authentication.