Passkeys are replacements for traditional passwords designed to make signing in to websites and applications easier and more secure. Unlike passwords, they are highly resistant to phishing and are stored on your operating system, instead of an online server. This also means that you do not need to remember your passkeys, since they are already present on your machine. If you are using Windows 11, you can set up a passkey for different websites and applications quite easily.

Step 1: Enable Windows Hello

To set up a Passkey on Windows 11, you first need to enable Windows Hello on your computer, since the OS will need to authenticate the passkey when you set it up. This means if you only log in to your PC using a password, it won't work. To enable Windows Hello, you need to set up a PIN, or facial or fingerprint recognition.

  1. Open the Settings app using the Win + I shortcut and click on 'Accounts' on the left.
  1. On the Accounts page, scroll down and click on 'Sign-in options'.
  1. Now you will see all available sign-in options. Click on any Windows Hello option and set up your facial recognition, fingerprint, or PIN, depending on availability and your preference. Once you've set up your Windows Hello login, you can set up a passkey for that computer.

Step 2: Set up a Passkey

You can create and use passkeys for different websites, including Amazon, Adobe, Discord, LinkedIn, Microsoft, and many more. However, for the purpose of this guide, we will be setting up a passkey for a Google account. The steps should not be too different for other websites.

  1. Launch your web browser on your Windows 11 PC and go to Google's 'My Account' website.
  2. Sign in to your Google account.
  3. Once you've logged in, click on 'Security' on the left.
  1. On the Security page, look for the 'How you sign in to Google' section. Click on the 'Passkeys and security keys' option under it.
  1. Once Google verifies your identity by asking you to enter your password or a verification code, you will see the 'Passkeys and security keys' page. Click on the 'Create a passkey' button.
  1. A 'Windows Security' prompt should appear and you will need to verify your identity using your fingerprint, facial recognition, or PIN. Once you've done so, you will see the 'Passkey saved' pop-up. Click on the 'OK' button to close it.

Step 3: Sign in to a website using your passkey

  1. To sign in using your passkey, you will first need to visit the login page of the app or website. For instance, you can visit the Google login page to test your passkey which you set up just now.
  2. Click on the account which you want to log in to using the passkey.
  1. If you've already set up a passkey for that account, it will be the default option. In case it does not appear, you will see an option 'Try another way'.
  1. Otherwise, you can click on the 'Continue' button to continue signing in to your account.
  1. Finally, type in your PIN, or use fingerprint or facial recognition to sign in.

Access and delete passkeys on Windows 11

If you no longer want to use the passkey you set up or want to remove it and create another one, you can do so using the Settings app.

  1. Open the Settings app and click on 'Accounts' on the left.
  1. Now, scroll down on the Accounts page and click on 'Passkey settings'.
  1. All the passkeys you have saved on that device will appear here. You can also look for a specific passkey using the search box at the top.
  1. To delete a passkey, click on the three dots to the right of the passkey and then click on 'Delete passkey'.

Things to know

  • Even after you create a passkey, you can always use traditional methods, like passwords to sign in to a website or app.
  • The passkey you set up for Windows should work across all browsers on that device when you try to sign in using the Google account for which you created it.
  • While the specific steps for setting up a passkey may vary depending on the website or app, the process will be similar to the one you use for your Google account.
  • Once you delete a passkey from Windows, there is no way to recover it. You will have to set up a new passkey if you want to use it.