How to Enable Passkeys on Windows

Passkeys provide a secure and convenient way to login without traditional passwords, using biometrics like facial recognition, fingerprints, or a PIN. They offer a modern, phish-resistant solution to keep your accounts safe. In this guide, we’ll show you how to activate and manage passkeys on your Windows device, the requirements, and how to use them across devices.

Before you can set up passkeys on your Windows device, you need to ensure you meet the following requirements.

Is my Windows device passkey-ready?

To save a passkey on your Windows device, you’ll need to activate Windows Hello. If its not yet activated at your Windows device, you can enable Windows Hello by navigating to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, where you can add your preferred sign-in methods.

Click Add on your preferred sign-in method. (In this case Windows Hello PIN)

Click Next

The setup process may vary slightly depending on your Windows version. After entering your current account password, you can add a PIN. You can also choose to add additional biometric login methods, such as “Windows Hello Face” or “Windows Hello Fingerprint,” though these are optional and simply act as shortcuts to the PIN. If you’re using a Microsoft account with your computer, other forms of verification may be required.

To set up Windows Hello Fingerprint, click Setup

Place your finger on the fingerprint sensor as instructed. The process may vary depending on your version of Windows.

You are all set!

Using passkeys on Windows provides several advantages over traditional password-based authentication:

• Enhanced Security: Passkeys leverage public-key cryptography, ensuring that the private key remains securely stored on the Windows device inside the Trusted Platform Module (TPM). This approach minimizes the risk of phishing attacks and credential theft. Unlike traditional passwords, which re susceptible to being stolen or leaked, this cryptographic method provides a much higher level of security.

• Improved User Experience: With passkeys, users no longer need to remember or manage numerous passwords. On Windows devices, authenticating with a passkey is as simple as a quick biometric check via Windows Hello (such as a fingerprint or facial recognition) or entering a device PIN. This makes the authentication process significantly faster and more intuitive compared to using passwords.

You can create and save passkeys for apps and websites that support them. The exact steps for creating and saving a passkey may vary depending on the specific app, website, or browser, but they generally involve the following steps:

1. Open a website or app that supports passkeys (e.g. this passkey demo).

2. Create a passkey in the sign-up or login process of from the account settings.

3. Choose a Windows Hello verification method, proceed with the verification, and then select OK.

4. The passkey will be saved on your Windows device.

Click OK to confirm. To manage your passkey in Windows, simply go to Settings > Accounts > Passkey settings, where all your saved passkeys are listed and can be deleted.

The steps for logging in with a passkey can vary depending on the app, website, or browser, but they generally follow a similar process:

1. On your Windows device, open a website that supports passkeys and tap the username field (such as a unique identifier, email address, or phone number) on the login screen.

2. Logging in:

• Conditional UI Login: Tap the suggested username that appears at the bottom of the screen or above the keyboard.

• Regular Login: If the username doesn’t automatically appear in an autofill menu or if you prefer to use a different one, manually enter it.

3. Use your chosen Windows Hello unlock method (such as PIN, face scan, or fingerprint scan) to complete the login.

4. The passkey you saved will automatically finalize the login process.

Unfortunately, syncing passkeys saved on a Windows device with other devices is not yet possible without using a third-party password manager. This limitation means that users who rely on Windows for storing passkeys cannot seamlessly access them across different platforms, such as iOS or Android, unless they use a compatible password manager that supports cross-device syncing.

Integrate passkeys with third-party password managers to enhance your cross-platform usability. To use passkeys on devices from other platforms, you can save your passkeys in a third-party password manager that has passkey capabilities, such as Dashlane or 1Password.

After saving your passkey on a password manager, you can use the passkey on every device your password manager is installed.

Passkeys on Windows are stored locally on your device and can be managed by navigating to Settings > Accounts > Passkeys. These passkeys are not synced with other devices; for cross-device access, a third-party password manager is required.

Passkeys saved on your Windows device cannot be used directly on other devices or systems. To enable cross-device usage, you can use a third-party password manager like 1Password or Dashlane.

Passkeys are designed to be phish-resistant and cannot be stolen or reused like passwords, making them significantly safer than traditional passwords.

Setting up passkeys on Windows is a straightforward process that offers significant benefits for both security and usability. By replacing traditional passwords with passkeys, you reduce the risk of phishing and enjoy a more seamless login experience. Start your journey towards a passwordless future today by setting up passkeys on your Windows device.