X (formerly known as Twitter) expanded its passkey support to iOS users globally on Tuesday. The Elon Musk-owned platform introduced passkeys as an alternative to traditional passwords in January. But at the time, it was only available on its iOS app for users in the US. Now, three months after its launch, the social media platform has extended it to other regions as well. While the feature is currently not available on the website or on its Android app, a report last month suggested it could soon come to Android users as well.
The announcement was made by the official Safety account of X in a post which stated, “Passkeys is now available as a login option for everyone globally on iOS! Try it out.” While the feature has been rolled out, it can take a few days before everyone receives it. Notably, passkeys utilise alternative methods for authentication such as Face ID, fingerprint, PIN, an authenticator app, or another device to log into accounts. This eliminates reliance on a traditional password that can be hacked into or leaked during a data breach.
Passkeys also offer a more seamless experience when logging into accounts as there is no requirement to remember a complex password and to type it manually every time one logs in. They can also be used across devices, however, on X, the feature is only available on iOS.
A support page on X explains that passkeys are constructed using public key cryptography from the WebAuthentication standard. When an account is registered, the device generates a unique key pair for each account. One of the keys is public and is stored on X whereas the private key stays on the device. Now, whenever the user logs in, the private key gets triggered and the registered device has to approve the login attempt.
To enable a passkey on X, iOS users can go to Your account > Settings and privacy > Security and account access > Security > Additional password protection > Passkey. Here, the user will have to enter the password, select Add a passkey, and follow the prompts. Passkey can be deleted using the same steps.