Apple's new passkeys

March 2023

Mac Life

Can they really take the place of passwords? We take a look

- IAN OSBORNE

YOU WILL LEARN

What passkeys are, how they work and how to use them

KEY FACT

According to Microsoft's Vasu Jakkal, there are over 921 password attacks every second.

WHAT A TURNAROUND. It was only with macOS 12 (Monterey), iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 that Apple added a dedicated Passwords pane to the Mac's System Preferences and the mobile device's Settings... But with macOS Ventura, iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, the company is trying to make passwords redundant. Passkeys uses powerful cryptographic techniques and the biometrics built into your device to allow you to log in to a website, make an online purchase, and anything else that requires a login ID and a password, without needing to type anything at all. Instead, you simply use your Face ID or Touch ID to verify your credentials. You can even create a new account from scratch by using a passkey.

When you log on to a compatible website or app, you're invited to create a passkey. If you choose to do so, you simply place your finger on your fingerprint sensor to use Touch ID, or look directly into a mobile device's camera to use Face ID and that's it. From then on, you can log in on that site or app simply by using your biometrics. Passkeys can only be used on websites and in apps that have made them available. At the moment, not too many do have them implemented, but they're sure to become more popular over time.