Passkeys in one paragraph
A passkey is a pair of cryptographic keys created for one website. The public key is stored by the website; the private key stays on your device or in your password manager, protected by Face ID, Touch ID, Windows Hello or a device PIN. When you sign in, your device proves it holds the private key — without ever sending it. There is no shared secret to steal, reuse or type into a fake site.
Why passkeys are safer than passwords
- Phishing-resistant. A passkey is bound to the real website’s domain. On a look-alike site, your device simply has no passkey to offer.
- Nothing useful to leak. If a website is breached, attackers get public keys, which cannot be used to sign in.
- No reuse. Every passkey is unique to one site by design.
- Faster. A glance or a touch replaces typing a password and a one-time code.
How signing in with a passkey works
- You visit a site and choose “Sign in with a passkey”.
- The site sends a random challenge.
- Your device asks for your fingerprint, face or PIN to unlock the private key.
- The device signs the challenge and sends back the signature.
- The site verifies it with your public key. Done.
Passkeys vs. passwords vs. 2FA codes
| Password | Password + SMS/app code | Passkey | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can be phished | Yes | Yes (real-time phishing) | No |
| Leaks in a server breach | Hash | Hash | Public key only |
| Can be reused | Yes | Yes | No |
| Effort to sign in | Type | Type twice | Touch or glance |
What if I lose my phone?
Passkeys can be synced through your platform account (Apple, Google, Microsoft) or stored in a password manager, so a new device gets them back. Always keep a second way in — another device with a passkey, a hardware security key, or recovery codes.
Do passkeys replace a password manager?
Not yet. Most websites still use passwords, and many never will. A password manager keeps both: strong unique passwords for the sites that need them, and a secure home for your passkeys and recovery codes.
Using passkeys with Lockvero
You can protect your Lockvero account with a passkey as a second factor — Face ID, Touch ID, Windows Hello or a hardware key like a YubiKey. Because Lockvero is zero-knowledge, your master password still encrypts the vault, and the passkey adds a phishing-resistant lock on the account itself.
Put it into practice
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