Create and save a passkey

How to create and save a passkey for your Microsoft personal account

To create a passkey for your Microsoft account, follow these steps on the device where you'd like to create a passkey:

1. Sign in to your Microsoft account Advanced Security Options at account.live.com/proofs/manage
   ​​​​​​​Sign in

2. Choose Add a new way to sign in or verify.

3. Select Face, Fingerprint, PIN, or Security Key.

4. Follow the instructions on your device.

5. ​​​​​​​Select Continue or Create to store the passkey in the suggested location or select Change or Save another way to see alternative save location options. 

   

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   Saving options include:

   1. Password Manager: You can save a passkey to Microsoft Password Manager or another synced credential manager (such as Google Password Manager, Apple iCloud Keychain or others). 

   2. iPhone, iPad or Android device: The passkey is saved to a phone or tablet.

      Notes: 

      • ​​​​​​​This option requires you to scan a QR code using your mobile device's camera (tap Use passkey when shown) or the QR scan button  in Microsoft Authenticator (or similar) installed on your phone or tablet. 

      • Saving passkeys to a phone or tablet may also require Bluetooth pairing for verification.

   3. Security key: The passkey is saved to a physical security key.

   4. Windows device / Windows Hello: The passkey is saved locally to your Windows device using Windows Hello.

      Note: This option may not be shown if you have already saved another passkey to a synced credential manager such as Microsoft Password Manager.

6. Complete the passkey save process at the chosen location. The process varies based on your selection and might require you to provide an unlock gesture, such as facial recognition, fingerprint, or PIN.

How to create and save a passkey for your Microsoft work/school account

To create a passkey for your Microsoft work or school account, follow these steps on the device where you'd like to create a passkey:

1. Sign in to your work or school account Security info at mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info​​​​​​​
   Sign in

2. Choose Add sign-in method.

3. Select Passkey (to use another device or a password manager, see below) or Passkey in Microsoft Authenticator (to use Authenticator installed on your mobile device).

4. Follow the instructions on your device.

5. ​​​​​​​Select Continue or Create to store the passkey in the suggested location or select Change or Save another way to see alternative save location options. 

   

   ​​​​​​​

   Passkey saving options include:

   1. Password Manager: You can save a passkey to Microsoft Password Manager or another password manager service, like iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager, or 1Password.

   2. iPhone, iPad or Android device: The passkey is saved to a phone or tablet.

      Notes: 

      • ​​​​​​​This option requires you to scan a QR code using your mobile device's camera (tap Use passkey when shown) or the QR scan button  in Microsoft Authenticator (or similar) installed on your phone or tablet. 

      • Saving passkeys to a phone or tablet may also require Bluetooth pairing for verification.

   3. Security key: The passkey is saved to a physical security key.

   4. Windows device / Windows Hello: The passkey is saved locally to your Windows device using Windows Hello.

6. Complete the passkey save process at the chosen location. The process varies based on your selection and might require you to provide an unlock gesture, such as facial recognition, fingerprint, or PIN.

How to create and save a passkey for another website, service or app

You can only create a passkey for another website, service or app if their sign-in supports it.

If you sign in to another website, service or app and you're prompted to save your passkey, follow these steps to save a passkey for your account to the right place. 

1. At the prompt, select Continue or Create to store the passkey in the suggested location or select Change or Save another way to see alternative save location options. 

   

   ​​​​​​​

   Saving options include:

   1. Password Manager: You can save a passkey to Microsoft Password Manager or another password manager service.

   2. iPhone, iPad or Android device: The passkey is saved to a phone or tablet.

      Notes: 

      • ​​​​​​​This option requires you to scan a QR code using your mobile device's camera (tap Use passkey when shown) or the QR scan button  in Microsoft Authenticator (or similar) installed on your phone or tablet. 

      • Saving passkeys to a phone or tablet may also require Bluetooth pairing for verification.

   3. Security key: The passkey is saved to a physical security key.

   4. Windows device / Windows Hello: The passkey is saved locally to your Windows device using Windows Hello.

2. Complete the passkey save process at the chosen location. The process varies based on your selection and might require you to provide an unlock gesture, such as facial recognition, fingerprint, or PIN.