Every day when using various products, we need account passwords. At first, when using fewer products, we can remember them, but as we use more and more applications, we forget them. Recently, major manufacturers have been promoting a mechanism to replace passwords with Passkeys for login. I recently had my first experience using PassKeys to log in to GitHub and found it to be good. Here's a record! 👍
What is PassKeys#
It is a new way of logging in that completely eliminates the need for passwords. It can verify the user's identity by using security verification methods such as Touch ID and Face ID.
What are the features#
- Simplified login, no need for passwords
- Use Face ID or Touch ID to quickly and easily save and use passkeys without creating or managing passwords. Passkeys are synchronized with iCloud Keychain and can be used on various Apple devices. They can also be used to log in to apps and websites on non-Apple devices using an iPhone.
- Passkeys are based on FIDO Alliance and W3C standards and use encrypted key pairs to replace passwords. These key pairs greatly enhance security, and in iCloud Keychain, passkeys are end-to-end encrypted.
- Passkeys and passwords can be used simultaneously without interfering with each other.
Setting up Passkeys login for GitHub#
Enable feature preview#
This feature was just released in beta this month, so you may need to enable the feature before you can try it out.
- Open the GitHub page.
- Click on the profile picture in the upper right corner.
- Select "Feature preview".
- Choose "Passkeys".
- Set it to "enable".
Add a new Passkey#
- Open the GitHub page.
- Click on the profile picture in the upper right corner.
- Select "Settings".
- Select "Password and authentication" under "Access".
- Click on "add a passkey", and another page will pop up.
- Continue to click on "add passkey".
- It will ask you to choose how to create the passkey. Here, I chose "phone" (you can also choose "computer").
- Take out your iPhone, open the camera, and scan the QR code that pops up to store the key in the iCloud Keychain.
- After successful storage, it will pop up another box asking you to name the passkey you just created for easy identification later.
Experience#
When logging in, choose to log in with a passkey. It will also ask you to choose which device's stored passkey to use for login.
Take out your phone and scan it with the camera. At this time, you can use Face ID on your phone to log in without a password! 😜 Since the Keychain can be synchronized through iCloud, you can also use a tablet to log in later, or choose to share it with your family!
Follow-up: Later, I set up a passkey saved on my computer. When logging in, I can choose to log in with the passkey on the computer without scanning with the phone's camera. I can simply double-click on my Apple Watch to log in quickly!