How to Set Up a Passkey on Your Microsoft Account
3 min read
Key Takeaways
- Passkeys provide a more secure alternative to passwords for logging into Microsoft accounts and services by using biometrics or security key.
- Setting up a Microsoft passkey involves signing into your account, choosing a biometrics option, and following instructions to configure it for use instead of entering passwords.
- To delete an existing passkey, access the security section of your Microsoft account, expand the passkey options, and click the remove button to take it off your account.
Keeping your Microsoft account secure should be a top priority, whether you use it for work, school, or personal matters. While unique, strong passwords are important for protection, remembering them all can become difficult to manage over time.
Thankfully, Microsoft has introduced passkeys as a more secure login alternative.
As of writing, passkeys work with Windows 10/11 and
popular browsers on those platforms
, as well as Apple devices running iOS 16 and later and Macs running macOS Ventura and later.
How to Create and Use a Microsoft Account Passkey
Setting up a Microsoft passkey only takes a few minutes.
- Sign in to your Microsoft Account and click on the blue Manage how I sign in button, which is under the security section.
- Scroll down and click Add a new way to sign in or verify (beside the circled plus sign).
- Choose face, fingerprint, PIN, or security key.
- Follow the instructions that pop up to set it up.
- Once setup is complete, it’ll ask you to name your new passkey so you can easily manage it later.
Once your passkey is configured, whenever you need to log in to any Microsoft service, just click on Sign in options and select your passkey. Your device will prompt you to authenticate, and then you’ll be able to go straight into your account without having to type your email, password, or anything else.
How to Delete a Microsoft Account Passkey
If you want to delete your saved Microsoft passkey:
- Go to the Security section of your Microsoft account.
- Scroll down to Use a passkey (you’ll see your named passkey beside it) and click to expand the options below it.
- Click Remove to delete the passkey from your account.
How Is a Passkey Different from a Password?
A passkey differs from a regular password in that it doesn’t require you to memorize or type out long random strings of characters. Instead, it uses a type of encryption called public key cryptography. With this system, each passkey is made up of two parts—a public key and a private key. These two keys are mathematically tied together in a way that only allows your device and account to be linked.
With a passkey, the login process is much simpler. Rather than typing a password, you just need to prove who you are with your device’s PIN or biometrics, like your fingerprints or facial scan. This speeds everything up and makes it much easier to sign in.
Behind the scenes, each passkey is uniquely generated based on both your account and specific device. The key is securely stored directly on your device and is never shared with or visible to websites. Sites only receive a yes or no signal to verify if the passkey matches without seeing the actual key value.
As a result, passkeys provide stronger security than regular passwords. Passkeys cannot be reused, guessed, or stolen through phishing like a text password potentially could. Even if someone tried accessing your account from another device, the passkeys would not match, and login would be denied.
Additionally, if you happen to lose or damage the device containing your passkey, some good cross-platform password managers like Dashlane allow you to access and use your passkey from any supported device where the manager is installed. This provides backup access in case your primary device is unavailable.
If you want some added peace of mind when signing in to Microsoft accounts such as Outlook, OneDrive, or any other service, consider switching from using passwords to passkeys. Hopefully, more sites will support passkeys in the future.
