In This Guide
On Apple devices, passkeys are saved to iCloud Keychain and appear in the Passwords app. You confirm them with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode, and they sync to your other Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account.
1. Check These Three Things First
- A passcode is set (Settings → Face ID & Passcode). No screen lock, no passkeys.
- iCloud Keychain is on (Settings → your name → iCloud → Passwords) so passkeys sync and survive a lost phone.
- Software is current. myGov needs iOS or iPadOS 16 or later, or macOS Ventura or later.
2. Creating a Passkey on iPhone
The steps are the same pattern for every service:
- Sign in to the service as you normally do (Microsoft, myGov, Google and so on).
- Go to its security or sign-in settings and choose to add a passkey — or accept the prompt when it offers one.
- Your iPhone asks whether to save the passkey. Confirm with Face ID or Touch ID.
- Sign out and sign back in once to make sure it works.
Work and school accounts usually store the passkey in Microsoft Authenticator, not iCloud. Turn Authenticator on first: Settings → General → AutoFill & Passwords → AutoFill Passwords and Passkeys → select Authenticator. Details in our Microsoft passkey guide.
3. Passkeys on Mac
Passkeys made on your iPhone appear on your Mac automatically through iCloud Keychain, in the Passwords app (macOS Sequoia and later). On a Mac with Touch ID you confirm with your fingerprint. Without Touch ID, Safari can show a QR code to scan with your iPhone instead.
4. Finding and Removing a Passkey
Open the Passwords app, search for the website, and the passkey is listed with any password for that site. From there you can delete it.
Deleting a passkey on your iPhone doesn't remove it from your Microsoft or myGov account. Remove the old entry from the account's security settings as well, or you'll get confusing "passkey can no longer be used" errors later.
5. Why Can't I Create a Passkey on My iPhone?
- No passcode set, or iCloud Keychain switched off.
- The iOS version is too old for that service.
- A different passkey provider is selected under AutoFill & Passwords.
- It's a work account and your organisation only allows passkeys in Authenticator.
- Screen Time or a work profile restriction is blocking changes.
Apple still texts two-factor codes to your trusted phone number for your Apple Account itself, so keep that number up to date.
Want Your iPhone Set Up Properly?
We set up passkeys for Microsoft, myGov and Google on your iPhone and Mac, and check iCloud is backing them up.
Book HelpSources
Apple — Use passkeys on iPhone · Apple — Passwords app · Apple — Two-factor authentication · Microsoft — Register a passkey in Authenticator · myGov — Use passkeys. Checked 11 October 2026.