Do Passkeys Mean the End of Passwords?

Passwords have had a pretty rough run. We all know the drill.

Creating a strong password by cramming in a capital letter, a number, and a symbol, that is forgettable. Then comes the reset email, the new password that is just the old one with a 2 at the end, and the whole cycle starts again. Fortunately, a technology called passkeys changes everything, and it is a lot more exciting than it sounds.

What Is a Passkey?

A passkey is a passwordless login method that replaces the traditional password entirely. Instead of relying on something you know (and might forget), passkeys rely on something you have, like your device, and something you are, like your fingerprint or face. When you set up a passkey on a website or app, your device generates a unique cryptographic key pair. One key, the public key, is stored on the website's server. The other, the private key, never leaves your device. Ever. It is stored securely on your device.

When you log in, the website sends a challenge to your device, your device uses your private key to sign in, and the website verifies the signature using the public key it already has. You authenticate your identity with your fingerprint, face scan, or PIN. The whole thing happens in seconds, entirely behind the scenes.  

Why Are Passkeys Safer?

Researchers have found billions of unique username and password combinations floating around on the dark web, the result of data breaches over the years. Passkeys make this kind of attack essentially pointless. Since the server only stores a public key, and that key alone is useless for logging in, a breach of a website's database gives an attacker nothing they can use.

Passkeys are also phishing-proof. Phishing attacks work by tricking you into typing your password on a fake website that looks like the real one. But a passkey simply will not work on a site if it wasn't registered with your device.  If you click on a convincing fake login page, your passkey will refuse to play along. There is no way to accidentally give it away.  

There is also the biometrics angle. Even if someone steals your physical device, they still cannot use your passkeys without your fingerprint, face, or PIN. And the biometric data itself never leaves your device or gets sent to any server. The biometric check happens locally, on your device, and that data stays there.

How Do Passkeys Work?

Passkeys are built on an open standard called WebAuthn, developed under the guidance of the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) Alliance. The FIDO Alliance is a group of security-focused companies, including Google, Apple, Microsoft, 1Password, and many others, all working together to build a safer, passwordless future for the internet. Because passkeys follow this shared standard, they work across different browsers and operating systems. A passkey created on your iPhone can be used to log in on a Windows PC through a QR code scan. The ecosystem is genuinely cross-platform.

How Far Are We From Eliminating Passwords?

We are in the middle innings, not the final stretch. Some experts predict that by 2027 passkeys will become the dominant form of online authentication, surpassing both traditional passwords and multi-factor authentication methods. But being dominant is not the same as universal.

Nick Steele of 1Password stated, that passwords have been part of the internet for over 50 years and calls the transition a long tail rather than a meteoric rise.  

That said, momentum is real and accelerating. Microsoft made passkeys the default for all new accounts in May 2025, which drove a 120% increase in passkey authentications. And with over 35% of people experiencing at least one compromised account due to password vulnerabilities in the past year alone, the pressure to move faster is only growing.

We are probably 5 to 10 years away from passwords becoming truly rare for most users. The question for businesses is not whether to make the switch but how soon they can get there.

Should You Use Passkeys?

Absolutely, yes. If a website or app offers you the option to set up a passkey, take it. The experience is faster and smoother than typing a password, and you get dramatically better security in return.  

The humble password has served us for decades, but its era is drawing to a close. Passkeys are faster, stronger, and genuinely easier to use. The future of logging in is already on your phone, and it does not require you to log-in.

Let's Build A Safer IT Together

Ready to make your business more secure but not sure where to start? The team at Net Friends is here to help. Book a meeting with one of our IT Experts today and get personalized guidance on passkeys, cybersecurity, and all your technology needs. Whether you are protecting a team of five or five hundred, we will help you find the right solution without the tech headache. Your next step toward a safer, smarter IT setup is just one conversation away!

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