How Do Passkeys Work?
Passkeys Explained
Passwords are bad. Passwords with 2FA are better. Passkeys are the best.
We’ve written several articles about Passkeys, but many people still don’t understand how they work or why they’re safer than passwords. Today, we’re going to try to explain how Passkeys work and why they are so much safer than Passwords.
Passwords are a disaster waiting to happen. You have to change them constantly; they demand bizarre combinations of characters, and the second you forget one, they lock you out of your life. Additionally, they can be easily stolen through phishing scams and data breaches.
Passkeys are the total opposite. They are highly competent security guards who recognize you and, once you verify it’s really you, unlock the website without requiring any additional action beyond showing your face, tapping your fingerprint, or entering your device PIN.
The Magic of Passkeys
A Passkey is not a secret word you type. It’s a Secret Digital Handshake that lives on your device (computer, tablet, smartphone).
When you create a passkey, your device generates two special, mathematical keys:
The Master Key (Your Secret)
This stays locked safely inside your device (in the Secure Enclave, which is tech-speak for “tiny, impenetrable fortress”). This key never leaves your phone or computer, not even for a millisecond.
The Guest Key (The Website’s Secret)
This is the key you give to the website (like Google, Netflix, or Facebook, etc.). It’s a completely useless key on its own, but it’s designed to perfectly match the Master Key on your device.
The Passwordless Login Process – The Digital High-Five
When you want to log in, this is what happens:
You tap the “Sign In” button.
The Website sends a very fast, secure message to your device that says: “Hey, prove you’re the boss of this account!”
Your Device says, “Whoa, a secure challenge! I need the Master Key, but first, the owner has to authorize me!”
Then you show your face, tap your fingerprint, or enter your device PIN. This is just you telling your device, “Yes, it’s me. Go ahead, use the Master Key.”
Your Device then uses the Master Key to sign the secure message and sends the signature back.
The Website checks the signature with the Guest Key it has on file. If it matches, it says: “Perfect match! Come on in! No passwords, no drama.”
The bottom line is… Passkeys don’t ask you what you know (a password); they confirm what you have (your secure device) and who you are (your face, fingerprint, device PIN).
The Best Part About Passkeys: Hackers Can’t Steal What Isn’t There
Phishing sites? What me worry?
If a scammer builds a fake login page, your device will immediately say, “Wait a minute, this URL doesn’t match the Guest Key I have. I’m not going to even try to sign in.” The scammer gets absolutely nothing.
Huge Data Breaches? No worries!
If a huge company gets hacked, all the bad guys steal is the useless Guest Key that the website stored. Since the real Master Key is still safely locked inside your phone, your account is safe. The hacker has a lock with no matching door.
It’s the simplest and strongest security upgrade in decades, and all you have to do is use your face, fingerprint, or device PIN to prove it’s you.. It’s super easy and super secure.
We hope this helps you better understand Passkeys, how they work, and why they’re so much easier and safer than passwords.