What are steps for creating a passkey in user onboarding?

Vincent Delitz

Vincent

Created: January 8, 2025

Updated: April 24, 2025

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What Are the Steps for Creating a Passkey During User Onboarding?#

Creating a passkey during user onboarding is a crucial step to encourage adoption and improve user security. Here’s a step-by-step guide to the process:

steps creating passkey user onboarding

1. User Login or Registration#

During onboarding, users log in using their existing credentials (e.g., email and password) or register a new account.

2. Prompt for Passkey Creation#

  • After successful login or registration, prompt the user to create a passkey.
  • Display a clear message explaining the benefits of passkeys, such as enhanced security and ease of use.

3. Invoke the WebAuthn API#

  • Use the WebAuthn API to initiate the passkey creation process.
  • Request user consent and trigger the device’s biometric or PIN-based authentication system.
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4. Generate and Store Credentials#

  • Upon successful authentication, the device generates a public-private key pair.
  • Store the public key and credential ID securely in your backend system.

5. Confirmation and Feedback#

  • Provide a confirmation message to the user, indicating that the passkey was created successfully.
  • Optionally, guide the user on how to use the passkey for future logins.

6. Optional: Cross-Device Setup#

  • Encourage users to set up passkeys on additional devices to enable seamless cross-device login experiences.

Best Practices#

  • Make the process intuitive and frictionless by providing clear instructions.
  • Ensure compliance with WebAuthn standards for secure implementation.

This step-by-step process ensures that users can create passkeys effortlessly during onboarding, enhancing both security and user experience.

Read the full article#

passkeys product design strategy

Read the full article

Read the enterprise guide on large-scale passkey integration approaches, design of user flows and interfaces, and technical implementation considerations.

Read the full article

Already read by 5,000+ enterprise security leaders.

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