Apple has introduced passkey support, which eliminates the need for passwords when logging in to iCloud.com and Apple.com.
With iOS 15, any Apple website can rely on Face ID or Touch ID for authentication. Apple ID is automatically assigned a passkey that can be used for iCloud and Apple sites in iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey. Users can try it out by going to any sign-in page with an Apple.com or iCloud.com domain and looking for the “Sign in with iPhone” button after entering their Apple ID email address. A QR code is presented, which can be scanned with the iPhone’s camera app to authenticate the user’s identity on the web without entering their password.
Passkey is a more secure authentication system for digital lives that is an industry-wide effort. Passkeys replace passwords with cryptographic key pairs based on FIDO Alliance and W3C standards. Apple explains that these key pairs improve security. Password best practices include using strong, unique passwords for each digital account, but passkeys provide a simpler method that relies on a user’s smartphone to authenticate their account credentials.
