A Facebook passkey lets you log in to Facebook and Messenger with your phone or computer's face scan, fingerprint or screen lock instead of typing your password. Facebook usually offers to create one when it needs to confirm it's you. You manage or remove it in Accounts Center under Password and security, then Passkey.
If Facebook has popped up asking you to 'create a passkey', it isn't a scam and it isn't a new password to remember. It's a login that lives on your device. When you sign in, you use your face or fingerprint the same way you open your phone, and Facebook lets you in.
Why passkeys are safer than passwords
- They can't be phished the same way. Facebook says passkeys are uniquely generated for every account and less vulnerable to phishing. A fake login page can't trick you into typing one, because there's nothing to type.
- Your face and fingerprint stay on your device. Facebook says passkey information is stored on your device and your biometric data is never shared with Meta.
- Nothing to reuse. A leaked password from another website can't be used on a passkey.
How to create a Facebook passkey
Facebook doesn't always show a create button in settings. Instead, it may prompt you to create a passkey on your device when it needs to confirm it's you, such as when you log in to Facebook or Messenger. When the prompt appears:
- Check you're on your own phone, tablet or computer, not a shared one.
- Accept the prompt to create a passkey.
- Confirm with your fingerprint, face scan or device passcode.
Next time you log in on that device, you'll use the same method rather than your password.
What you need on a computer
| Requirement | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10, macOS Ventura or ChromeOS 109, or later |
| Or | A hardware security key that supports FIDO2 |
| Chrome | Version 109 or later |
| Safari | Version 16 or later |
| Edge | Version 109 or later |
| Firefox | Version 122 or later |
If the prompt never appears on your laptop, update your browser and operating system first. Facebook lists minimum versions, so an older browser or operating system is the first thing to rule out before you assume something is wrong with your account.
Using a passkey on more than one device
A passkey is stored on the device where you created it, so each phone or computer you use may need its own. Expect Facebook to offer one on each device as you log in. That's a good thing: if you lose one phone, your laptop's passkey keeps working, and you can remove the lost phone's passkey from Accounts Center.
Some devices sync passkeys through their own password manager, which means a passkey made on one device can appear on another you're signed in to. Check your device's settings if you want to know where your passkeys are stored. Facebook points you to your device's own information for setting up and managing passkeys.
The catch with passkey names
Your passkey is named after your confirmed email address, or your phone number if there's no email. Facebook says you can't change that name, and it stays the same even if your contact details change later. So if you see an old email address in your device's passkey list, that's normal. It's just the label from when you created it.
Shared and public devices
Facebook recommends not creating a passkey on a public or shared device. The passkey is tied to the device's own screen lock, so anyone who can get past that screen lock could get into your Facebook. On a family tablet, use your password and two-factor authentication instead.
How to remove a passkey
- Go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings.
- Open Accounts Center, then Password and security.
- Tap Passkey, then Remove next to the one you want to delete.
- Re-enter your password to confirm.
Removing a passkey is permanent. You'll go back to logging in with your password on that device. If you're selling or giving away a phone, remove its passkey first, and delete your fingerprint or face data in the phone's own settings.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Passkeys and two-factor authentication
A passkey and two-factor authentication do different jobs, and Facebook recommends both in its security tips. Two-factor asks for a code or confirmation when someone logs in from a device Facebook doesn't recognise. A passkey makes logging in on your own devices quicker and harder to phish. Keep two-factor on as a backstop, and save your recovery codes in case you lose the device with your passkey.
If someone has already got into your account, a passkey won't fix that on its own. Start with my guide to why Facebook locks or disables accounts, and use account switching carefully on shared devices.
My verdict
If Facebook offers you a passkey on your own phone or computer, say yes. It's faster than a password and much harder to steal. Skip it on shared devices, keep two-factor authentication switched on, and don't worry if the passkey's name shows an old email address. For anyone who has had a password stolen before, it's the simplest upgrade Facebook offers, and it takes only a few seconds the next time Facebook asks you to confirm a login on your own phone or laptop.
Frequently asked questions
What is a passkey on Facebook?
A way to log in using your device's fingerprint, face scan or passcode instead of a password. It's stored on your device.
How do I set up a passkey on Facebook?
Facebook prompts you to create one when it needs to confirm it's you, such as when you log in. Accept the prompt and confirm with your device's fingerprint, face scan or passcode.
Does Facebook get my fingerprint with a passkey?
No. Facebook says your biometric data is never shared with Meta and passkey information stays on your device.
How do I remove a passkey from Facebook?
Go to Accounts Center, then Password and security, then Passkey, and tap Remove. You'll need your password.
