How to use passkeys

Passkey is a feature that allows a secure and convenient alternative to passwords, designed to streamline sign-ins across multiple devices. Passkeys provide enhanced security compared to traditional passwords since they are individually generated by your device for each account, making them less susceptible to phishing attacks and unauthorized access.

Passkey is now available on both iOS and Android.

Why should I use a passkey?

We encourage users to enroll in passkey for the following benefits:

Seamless log in experience: Passkeys make signing in easy and convenient. Once you are set up, you can use your passkey to log in to your account across different devices without having to remember or reset a forgotten password.
Advanced security: Passkeys provide a stronger level of security for your account. Since they are uniquely generated by your device, they are less vulnerable to security threats such as fraudulent, deceptive, or unauthorized attacks.

How does passkey work?

Passkeys are constructed using public key cryptography from the WebAuthentication (or "WebAuthn") standard. When you register an account, your device generates a unique key pair – one public and one private – for each account. The public key is shared and stored on X, while the private key remains on your device. Your passkey is never shared with X to ensure maximum security, and further reducing the likelihood of unauthorized account access.

Once you are enrolled in passkey on your device, you can log in to your account by choosing the passkey option instead of entering a traditional password. Your device will securely connect with X using the stored public key to authenticate your identity.

How do I use passkey?

Enabling a passkey

Step 1

Log in to the X app with the account you wish to enable passkey for.

Step 2

Click Your account in the navigation bar.

Step 3

Select Settings and privacy, then click Security and account access, then Security.

Step 4

Under Additional password protection, click Passkey.

Step 5

Enter your password when prompted.

Step 6

Select Add a passkey and follow the prompts.

Delete a passkey

Step 1

Log in to the X app with the account you wish to delete passkey for.

Step 2

Click Your account in the navigation bar.

Step 3

Select Settings and privacy, then click Security and account access, then Security.

Step 4

Under Additional password protection, click Passkey.

Step 5

Enter your password when prompted.

Step 6

Select Delete a passkey.

FAQs

Is a passkey mandatory for login?

Passkeys are highly encouraged to enhance your account’s security, but it is not required for login.

Is the passkey feature available to sign-up for a new X account?

No, you are not yet able to sign-up with a passkey rather than a password. But stay tuned!

What devices support passkeys?

Passkey is available for iOS and Android users.

How can I use my current passkey for all of my devices?

To use your current passkey across all your devices, make sure you have completed setting up a passkey on the original device. So long as you are signed into your iCloud account, passkeys automatically sync across your iOS devices using iCloud Keychain. When you sign in to your iCloud account on a new device, that device will join the iCloud keychain associated with your account.

How are passkeys different from passwords?

A passkey serves as an online credential associated with your account. Instead of logging into your account with a username and password, your private passkey automatically authenticates your account using the server’s public passkey, allowing you to log in without the need to type it in. Passkeys are automatically generated, removing the need to remember login information and is securely backed up for easy recovery.

What happens if my device is stolen or lost?

In the event your device is lost or stolen, your account will remain secure. You can still access your account by using your password. Passkeys sync across your iOS devices using iCloud Keychain. This synchronization ensures redundancy if you lose your device. If you lose all of your devices, passkeys can be recovered through iCloud keychain escrow.

Can I share my passkey with someone else for account access?

When you sign in to your iCloud account on a new device, that device will join the iCloud keychain associated with your account. Without signing into the same iCloud account, it is not possible to share your passkey with someone else. If you want to have multiple people access and manage the one X account, we encourage you to consider using Delegate.