Using passkeys with Bitwarden
Google recently announced passkey support. Is this the same thing that Bitwarden is announcing?
Partly. Google announced that it has added support for passkey authentication for Workspaces accounts, meaning users can sign into their Google Workspace with a passkey instead of their usual password. Similarly, Bitwarden users will be able to access their Bitwarden accounts with a passkey instead of their master password.
Bitwarden also announced that users will be able to save, store, and manage registered passkeys associated with the websites and applications they use right within their vaults. So, Google now makes it possible to use passkeys for accounts and Bitwarden is capable of storing passkeys in vaults.
Do I use the same passkey regardless of the browser I’m on or will each site require a different passkey depending on the browser or device?
The passkeys stored in Bitwarden are synced passkeys, meaning that any browser where you are logged into the Bitwarden extension or where you have the Bitwarden mobile app installed, you can access your accounts using the same passkeys without needing to create new ones. If you don’t store your passkeys in Bitwarden it will depend on how well the browser integrates with your device OS (where the passkeys are stored).
What are some examples of sites that support passkeys?
The growing list of sites that support passkeys at the moment include Best Buy, Cloudflare, eBay, Google, Kayak, PayPal, and GitHub. A community-sourced Passkey Index is available on GitHub.
How will I use passkeys with Bitwarden? Do I still need a master password?
Users can use a passkey to access their accounts without a master password for the web app using supported browsers. Passkeys can also be created and stored in Bitwarden vaults for accessing sites supporting passkeys.
Can passkeys be used across platforms? If not, are there any issues with having different passkeys depending on the platform you’re using?
There are two types of passkeys, device-bound passkeys and synced passkeys. Device-bound passkeys are limited to the device where they were created. Synced passkeys can be stored inside a passkey provider like Bitwarden, and used wherever they are logged in.
Will I be locked into using passkeys if I adopt it?
That will depend on the site or the account. Some sites may only choose to offer passkey authentication, while others may offer traditional username/password authentication, username/password/2FA authentication.
Can passkeys be shared with other trusted individuals?
That depends on the platform. Some platforms, including Bitwarden, make it possible to share passkeys with trusted individuals.
Is there support, such as a live chat representative to speak with if I’m having trouble with my passkey?
That will depend on the site. If a site supports passkey authentication and they offer support, they will be able to answer your questions regarding passkey authentication for that particular site.
If I no longer want to use my passkey, can I remove it?
Yes. This will be done in the same way you would remove a password on your device.