Technology 2026-02-28 5 min read

Passwordless Is Finally Practical: Passkeys in Plain English

Passkeys replace passwords with device-based cryptography—fewer phishing headaches, faster logins.

Passwords fail for boring reasons: people reuse them, attackers guess them, and phishing sites trick us into typing them. Passkeys are a practical upgrade because they remove the part that’s easiest to steal—the secret you type.

A passkey is based on public‑key cryptography. When you create one, your device generates a key pair. The public key is stored by the website; the private key stays on your phone or computer and never leaves it. When you log in, your device proves it has the private key (often with Face ID, fingerprint, or a device PIN).

That changes the phishing game. Even if you land on a fake look‑alike site, your device won’t sign a login for the wrong domain. There’s nothing to “hand over” like a password or one‑time code. It’s faster, too—tap to approve and you’re in.

The one thing to take seriously is recovery. Passkeys can sync across your Apple/Google/Microsoft account, which is convenient, but you should keep your main device accounts secure and set up recovery options. For important services, consider adding a second device (or hardware key) as a backup.

For teams, passkeys also reduce support burden: fewer password resets, fewer compromised accounts, and clearer sign-in flows. You still want good security hygiene—updates, phishing awareness, and strong device locks—but the baseline gets much better.

If you’re adopting passkeys, start with your email and password manager, then your banking and social accounts. Keep two‑factor authentication enabled where possible, and treat passkeys as the default—not a novelty. The result is fewer lockouts, fewer scams, and a login flow that finally feels modern.

Passkeys are stored on your phone/computer.
They can’t be “typed into” a fake site.
Backups + syncing matter.