Article Intended For
Penn State University employees, students, and other affiliates who wish to use a passkey for Microsoft MFA that is synced to the Apple iCloud keychain for their Apple iOS devices.
Introduction
This article provides step-by-step instructions for creating a synced MFA passkey for an Apple iPhone or iPad device.
Device Requirements:
- iOS or iPadOS version 16.0 or later.
- Bluetooth must be enabled in device settings.
- The device must have a screen lock (face, fingerprint, or PIN) set up.
- Apple Passwords must be enabled for password and passkey autofill on your device.
Things to know:
- Creating a synced passkey will save it to your Apple Account's iCloud Keychain, which you can manage using the "Passwords" app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Because the passkey is securely synchronized with your Apple Account, it can be used across your Apple devices that are signed in with the same Apple Account.
- If you lose, damage, or upgrade/replace your iPhone or iPad, the passkey remains stored in your Apple Account's iCloud Keychain, so you do not need to create it again on your replacement device.
Article Body
NOTE: Apple Passwords must be enabled for password and passkey autofill on your device. Open the Settings app, tap General > AutoFill & Passwords > if not already enabled, turn on the toggle for AutoFill Passwords and Passkeys and Passwords
- sign in to https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info using your Penn State Account credentials
- select +Add sign-in method
- select Passkey
- select Next
- If you already have a passkey enrolled, you will see the following screen and will need to select Change.
If you don't encounter this screen, continue to the next step. - select iPhone, iPad, or Android device
A QR code will appear on your screen.
NOTE: Bluetooth must be enabled on your computer to use a passkey stored on a smartphone. If you see a screen informing you that Bluetooth is off, select Turn on Bluetooth then the QR code should appear. - on your iPhone or iPad, open the Camera app, center the QR code, and select Save a passkey when this option appears
- when presented with options asking where you want to save the passkey, select Save in Passwords
- select Add Passkey
- complete the requested unlock response (Face ID, Touch ID, or PIN) when prompted by your device. This is the same method you use to unlock the device.
- in your browser window, you should be presented with an option to type in a name for your passkey. This is optional but we recommend providing a name that will help you distinguish it from other passkeys. For example: John's iPhone 17
- select Next
- on the confirmation screen that your passkey was created successfully, select Done
You can verify that your passkey was stored in your iCloud keychain by opening the Passwords app on your iOS device and selecting Passkeys. Here, you should see your Penn State Account listed.
You can now follow the instructions in the following KB article to log into any Penn State website using your synced passkey: MFA: Sign In using a Passkey on a Smartphone or Tablet