Article Intended For

Penn State employees, students, and other affiliates who want to learn what a passkey is before creating one.

Introduction

A passkey is a secure way to sign in to your Penn State Account without typing your password each time. The concept is similar to how you unlock your smartphone. Instead of entering a password, you simply use Face ID, your fingerprint, or your device PIN to prove it's you.

Unlike passwords, which can be guessed, stolen, or used in phishing attacks, passkeys are phishing-resistant and stay on your trusted device. This makes them a more secure way to sign in to your account.

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How does the sign-in process differ?

Traditional sign-in process:

Enter your username.
Enter your password.
Receive a code.
Enter code into the Authenticator app.

You're signed in.

The sign-in experience with passkeys:

Enter your username.
Choose to sign-in with a passkey
Scan a QR code (if you are signing in on a PC or Mac computer)
Approve the sign-in using Face ID, your fingerprint, or your device PIN.

You're signed in.

How are passkeys stored?

There are two ways to store a passkey:

Device-bound - Stored only on the device where it was created. If you replace that device, the passkey does not transfer to the new device, and you'll need to create a new passkey.
Synced - Securely backed up by your devices password manager so it can be available on other trusted devices you own. The most common examples are:

- Apple Passwords (iCloud Keychain) for iOS devices - If you choose to save the passkey in the Passwords app on your Apple device, all other Apple devices you own can access it.
- Google Password Manager for Android devices - If you choose to save the passkey in the Google Password Manager on your Android device, all other Android devices you own can access it.

Passkey Storage Options showing device-bound options and synced options

Which passkey providers or credential managers will Penn State support and can assist with?

Penn State recommends using one of the supported passkey providers listed below. The IT Service Desk can provide setup assistance and troubleshooting for these options. While other passkey providers may work, they are not officially supported by the University. If you choose to utilize an unsupported provider and experience issues, you will need to contact that provider for assistance or switch to one of Penn State's supported passkey options.