Types of Passkeys Explained: The Future of Logins

Change Your Password Day is a reminder that online security is constantly evolving.

For decades, passwords were the foundation of user authentication, but rising cyber threats like phishing attacks, credential stuffing, and data breaches have exposed their limitations. As users manage more online accounts across devices and platforms, the need for a safer and more seamless authentication process has become clear.

Passkey technology is emerging as a modern alternative that strengthens security while simplifying authentication. Browsers like Wave Browser, built on modern web standards, support these evolving authentication methods and help users navigate the shift toward passwordless sign-ins across the web.

Understanding the different types of passkeys—and how they work across platforms, devices, and services—helps users make more informed decisions about protecting their accounts and sensitive information.

What Are Passkeys?

Passkeys are a passwordless authentication method designed to replace traditional passwords with a more secure and user-friendly approach to user authentication. Instead of relying on shared secrets that can be stolen or reused, passkeys use public key cryptography to verify a user’s identity.

Passkeys, an emerging alternative to passwords, come in two types: device-bound and syncable.

• Device-bound ones are stored securely on a single device and cannot be transferred
• Syncable ones can be safely synchronized across multiple devices linked to the same user account, offering greater convenience for users who switch between devices.

This design delivers stronger security, built-in phishing resistance, and protection against common cyber threats like credential compromise, and phishing attacks. As passkey technology matures, it is becoming a key part of identity verification across cloud platforms, mobile apps, and web-based online services.

Benefits of Passkeys

Across all platforms and implementations, the benefits include:

• Strong phishing resistance
• Protection against credential stuffing
• Reduced risk of unauthorized access
• Faster, simpler user authentication
• Better security for cloud services and online services

How Do Passkeys Work?

The authentication process is fundamentally different from passwords. When a user creates a passkey for a user’s account, the device generates a cryptographic key pair.

• The public key is registered with the service provider or cloud service.
• The private key remains protected on the user’s device, often inside a secure element or secure enclave, and is never shared.

When signing in, the service sends a challenge that can only be answered using the private key. Access is unlocked through local authentication, such as biometric authentication, biometric verification, Touch ID, facial recognition, or a device PIN. This helps prevent unauthorized access—even if attackers control the network.

Many passkey implementations follow the WebAuthn standard and authenticator protocol, developed with support from the FIDO Alliance, enabling cross-platform compatibility across various devices, browsers, and operating systems.

Example of a Passkey

A simple example of a passkey is signing in to an account using Face ID or Touch ID instead of a password.

For example, when you log in to a website or app that supports passkeys:

• You select your account
• Your device asks you to confirm your identity using Face ID, Touch ID, or a device PIN
• Your device uses a securely stored private key to authenticate you, without sending a password

Common real-world examples include:

• An Apple passkey stored in iCloud Keychain and unlocked with Face ID or Touch ID
• A Google passkey stored in Google Password Manager and unlocked with your device biometrics
• A hardware security key (like a USB or NFC key) used to sign in to high-security accounts

In all cases, the passkey stays on your device and cannot be phished or reused like a traditional password.

Different Use Cases for Passkeys

There are different types of passkeys designed to match specific needs:

• Single device passkeys for personal accounts
• Multidevice passkeys for cloud-based ecosystems
• Hardware-backed passkeys for high-risk environments

Each use case balances convenience, improved user experience, and security based on the type of data being protected.

Main Types of Passkeys

There are different types of passkeys, designed for different use cases, security needs, and risk profiles. Below are the main types used today.

1. Google Passkeys

Google passkeys are tightly integrated with Google accounts and Google Password Manager, acting as a built-in credential manager. They are synced across devices linked to the same cloud account, enabling multidevice passkeys for a smoother user experience.

Google passkeys support biometric authentication on Android, ChromeOS, and supported desktop platforms, delivering improved user experience and robust security. They are designed to work across a large user base and reduce exposure to phishing and unauthorized access.

On compatible websites, browsers built on Chromium—such as Wave Browser—support Google passkeys, allowing users to sign in using passkeys without changing their browsing setup.

2. Microsoft Passkeys

Microsoft passkeys are connected to Microsoft accounts and Windows operating system features. They integrate with Windows Hello for biometric verification, including facial recognition and fingerprint scanning.

Microsoft supports both software-based passkeys and hardware authenticators like a security key, making them suitable for high assurance environments and enterprise use cases involving sensitive data and sensitive information.

3. Apple Passkeys

Apple passkeys are stored in Apple iCloud Keychain, synced securely through Apple iCloud, and protected by the device’s secure enclave. Authentication uses Touch ID, Face ID, or a device passcode, ensuring the private key never leaves the device.

They are optimized for a seamless user experience across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, offering strong phishing resistance and protection against credential compromise. This makes them ideal for users who frequently sign in across various devices or upgrade to a new device.

4. Android Passkeys

Android passkeys are stored on the mobile device and can sync across devices using a Google account. They support QR code–based sign-in for desktops, allowing a phone to authenticate a login session securely.

They combine local biometric authentication with cloud-based recovery, making them a flexible solution for users who rely on multiple platforms and different types of passkeys.

Passkeys in Password Managers

Bitwarden Passkeys

Bitwarden passkeys are managed inside Bitwarden’s passkey manager, enabling cross-platform access while maintaining strong encryption. This approach is ideal for users who want centralized control over credentials without sacrificing stronger security.

LastPass Passkeys

LastPass passkeys integrate into the existing LastPass ecosystem, allowing users to adopt passkeys alongside passwords during the transition period. This hybrid approach helps ease adoption for users moving away from traditional passwords.

Both Bitwarden and LastPass demonstrate how password managers can support passkey adoption across different use cases and online services.

The Future of Passkey Technology

As passkeys move from early adoption to everyday use, browsers play an important role in how seamlessly users can take advantage of them. Wave Browser, built on modern web standards, supports passkey-based sign-ins on compatible websites, helping users adopt passwordless authentication without changing how they browse.

Understanding the different types of passkeys helps users and organizations choose the right solution for their devices, data, and security needs—while preparing for a future without passwords.

Change Your Password Day highlights an important shift in how we think about online security. While traditional passwords have played a critical role for many years, passkeys represent the next step in protecting user accounts against modern cyber threats.

With support from major platforms, cloud services, operating systems, and password managers, passkeys are gaining widespread adoption as a secure and user-friendly authentication method. Understanding the different types of passkeys helps users choose stronger authentication options and prepare for a passwordless future.