- If you add a passkey to your Google Account, it doesn’t change or remove any authentication or recovery factors currently on your account.
- If your account has 2-Step Verification or is enrolled in the Advanced Protection Program, your passkey bypasses the second authentication step, since this verifies that you own the device.
- Your biometric data, used for fingerprint or face unlock, stays on your device and is never shared with Google.
You can use passkeys as a simple and secure alternative to passwords. You can sign in to your Google Account with your:
- Fingerprint
- Face scan
- Phone screen lock, like a PIN
Unlike passwords, passkeys can’t be shared, copied, written down, or accidentally given to someone else. This makes them more secure against phishing.
When you use a passkey to sign in to your Google Account, it means you have access to your device and are able to unlock it.
Learn why you should use passkeys
- Better security:With passkeys, you get stronger protection against threats like phishing.
- Learn more in the Google Security Blog about passkeys .
- Easier sign in:To easily sign in to your Google Account, use your passkey. This also works for some third-party apps or services.
- You can also verify it's you when you make sensitive changes .
Check passkey requirements
Supported devices:
- A computer that runs at least Windows 10, macOS Ventura, ChromeOS 109, or up
- A phone that runs Android 9, iOS 16, or up
- A hardware security key that supports the FIDO2 protocol
Tip:You can create a passkey on a FIDO2 hardware security key added to your Google Account before May 2023. You may first need to remove this security key from your account .
Supported browsers:
- Chrome 109 or up
- Safari 16 or up
- Edge 109 or up
- Firefox 122 or up
Before you create and use a passkey:
- Turn on your phone’s screen lock.
- To use a passkey on a phone to sign in to another computer, turn on Bluetooth.
- For iPhone, iPad, and macOS devices, turn on iCloud Keychain.
- When you set up a passkey, it prompts you to turn on iCloud Keychain if not set up already. Learn how to set up iCloud Keychain .
Tips:
- To make sure that your passkeys work, check if your operating system and browser are up to date.
- On some operating systems and browsers, you may not be able to create or use passkeys while in Incognito mode.
If you have a Google Workspace account through your school or employer, you may not be able to sign in with just a passkey. You can still create passkeys on your devices as:
- A second factor in 2-Step Verification
- An account recovery option
- An option for some sensitive actions in your account that require Google to re-verify your identity
In the “Skip password when possible” account settings page, you can find whether your admin allows you to sign in with just a passkey.
If you’re a Workspace admin, learn how to allow users to skip passwords at sign-in .
Set up passkeys
Important:When you create a passkey, you opt in to a passkey-first, password-less sign-in experience. Only create passkeys on devices you personally own and use. Even if you sign out of your Google Account, once you create a passkey, anyone who can unlock your device can access your Google Account.
To set up a passkey, you may need to sign in to your Google Account or verify your identity.
Create a passkey on the phone or computer you’re on- Go to myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/passkeys .
- Tap Create a passkey
Create a passkey.
- You’ll need to unlock your device.
To create passkeys on multiple devices, repeat these steps on those devices.
- Go to myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/passkeys .
- Tap Create a passkey
- Follow on-screen instructions.
- You'll need to insert your hardware security key and enter its PIN or touch the fingerprint sensor on the key.
Tip:To create a passkey on a security key, you need a hardware security key that supports the FIDO2 protocol.
Tips:
- When you sign in to a site with a password saved in Google Password Manager, it may automatically create a passkey. Learn more about automatic passkey creation .
- Once you create your first passkey, your next sign in on any device that supports passkeys may prompt you to create one for that device.
- To protect your account from other users, do not create a passkey on a shared device.
Sign in with a passkey
On your device:
- Open the Google sign in page.
- Enter your username.
- When you tap the username field, you may find a list of passkeys. If so, tap the passkey you’d like to use.
- If you previously created a passkey on the device, follow the prompts to verify your identity.
- To unlock the device and verify your identity, follow the on-screen passkey instructions provided by your operating system and browser.
Tips:
- When you sign out of an Android device:
- You can sign in again with your passkey on this Android device for up to 6 hours after you sign out.
- After 6 hours, you need to use another method to sign back in.
- When you sign in again, the Android device automatically generates a new passkey and the old passkey expires.
- When you sign out of a non-Android device:After you sign out, you can sign in again with your passkey at any time.
Sign in on your computer with your phone's passkey
You can use a passkey to sign in on a computer that supports it, if you have a passkey on:
- An Android device
- An iPhone or iPad
- A hardware security key
- On your computer's Google sign in page, enter your username.
- Click Try another way
- A QR code appears on your computer screen.
- Tip:If you want to use a passkey from a hardware security key, you'll have an option to select it.
- Scan the QR code with your phone’s camera or QR code scanner app.
- Tip:Check to make sure Bluetooth is on.
- On your phone, tap Use passkey to sign in.
- If you have an iPhone or iPad, tap Sign in with a passkey.
- Verify your identity on your phone with your fingerprint, face unlock, or PIN.
Tip:The next time you sign in with this computer and phone combination, you’ll automatically get a phone notification to verify your identity.
Sign in with a password instead of a passkey
By default, when you create a passkey, you opt in to a passkey-first, password-less sign in experience. However, you still have the option to use your password to sign in to your account. If you want to always use your password first, you can change this default preference in your account settings.
To sign in with your password by default instead of a passkey:
- Sign in to your Google Account .
- Tap Security & sign-in.
- Under "How you sign in to Google," turn off Skip password when possible.
When you turn off this option and you sign in, you'll get a prompt for your password. If you're enrolled in 2-Step Verification, you can use any of your passkeys as the second step.
Check your passkeys
If your account already has passkeys, they’re listed in your Google Account sign in options.
- Go to myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/passkeys .
- Verify your identity, if applicable.
- If you're signed into multiple accounts, make sure to verify your identity for your desired account.
Tip:If you have an Android device signed in with this account, you may have passkeys automatically registered for you.
Remove a passkey
If you lose a device with your passkey, or created a passkey on a shared device by mistake, remove the passkey on your Google Account.
Remove a passkey you created- Go to your Google Account .
- Tap Security & sign in.
- Under "How you sign in to Google," tap Passkeys and security keys.
- Select the passkey you want to remove.
- Tap Remove
.
- Go to your Google Account .
- Tap Security & sign in.
- Under "Your devices," tap Manage all devices.
- Tap the device you want to remove
Multiple sessions that appear with the same device name could come from the same device or multiple devices. To make sure there’s no account access from another device, sign out of all the sessions with this device name.
Tips:
- To review all devices with access to your account, go to google.com/devices .
- If you removed a passkey from your Google Account, but you’re still prompted to use it when you sign in:
- Check if the passkey is in any third-party credential manager that you use.
- Remove the passkey from the credential manager.
- To learn how to remove the passkey, go to your credential manager’s support documentation.
Fix a problem with a lost or missing passkey
Remove a passkey on a lost or stolen device- On a device you’re able to access, sign in to your Google Account.
- Remove the passkey on the lost or stolen device.
If you have a passkey on your account that doesn’t show up when you sign in:
- Check if the device with the passkey has screen lock turned on.
- If your device's screen lock is off, you can’t use the passkey on that device until you turn it on.
- In your account security settings, check if you turned on “Skip password when possible.”
- To check if this setting is on, go to myaccount.google.com/security .
To sign in without a passkey, tap Try another way. This lets you skip the passkey option and go back to your earlier sign in choices.
Tip:If you often choose “Try another way,” Google reflects your preferences and offers the passkey option less frequently. You can change this by repeatedly signing in with passkeys.
