Passkeys are a highly secure and convenient way to access your online accounts and may replace passwords in the future as the main way you protect your data. With Dashlane, you can create and store passkeys to help you manage your online life. But since not all sites and apps are set up to use passkeys for login, you may not be able to use them as widely as you'd like.
Introduction to passkeys
Why do we need a new login method to replace passwords?
Passwords help protect your accounts but also come with risks related to security breaches, phishing, and other online attacks. When a site or app asks for your password, they’re asking you to prove your identity by providing something only you know. So, in theory, only you can access your account. But the process isn't always secure because people can make these mistakes:
- Create passwords that are simple and easy to remember but also easy to hack
- Reuse the same password on different websites
- Share passwords accidentally with the wrong people, such as in a phishing scam
In addition, the websites you use store your passwords on their servers. In security breaches, hackers sometimes get access to these servers and compromise the passwords of all users.
Using a password manager like Dashlane to create and store complex, unique passwords has always been the best way to protect your online identity. But now, Dashlane is leading the way in using passkeys as an even safer and easier way to manage your life online.
Concerned that your email was hacked? Check out our blog post on what to do if a scammer has your email address
How are passkeys different from passwords?
Passkeys are a form of "passwordless authentication," which means you prove your identity without a password when you log in to a website or app.
For the person logging in with a passkey, the process is simple. In some cases, you’ll use your fingerprint or facial recognition the same way you do when unlocking your phone. If you’ve saved a passkey in Dashlane, you’ll see a pop-up asking you to confirm that you want to log in to the site. After confirming, you’ll be logged in automatically.
Create and manage passkeys in Dashlane
But passkeys are also far more secure than the best passwords. Passkeys are a phishing-resistant way to log in. Unlike passwords, passkeys can't be stolen or guessed. Passkeys are always unique and strong and don’t require storing private information on servers.
What makes passkeys so secure?
Passkeys are designed to be resistant to phishing and other online attacks.
When you create a passkey for a site and save it in Dashlane, we create two "keys" that connect you securely to the site. These keys are two long numbers connected by a complex mathematical relationship. You’ll never see or do anything with these keys, but they’ll be stored in two places connected to you:
- The first is a "private" key that we store safely in your Dashlane account
- The second is a "public" key that the website or app you want to access stores for your account on their servers
The public key isn't a secret. In theory, anyone with access to the server where the public key is stored can see the key. But the public key is useless without the private key, and the private key is protected by Dashlane's unique security system. No one can access the private key, not even Dashlane employees.
You can only access an account protected by a passkey when the private and public keys are used together. When you log in to a website or app using a passkey, Dashlane uses the public and the private keys together to connect you.
For more on the technology behind passkeys, check out our blog for a guide to asymmetric encryption
What's it like to log in with a passkey?
When you log in to an account with a passkey, you use an "authenticator" that tells the site or app you’re trying to access that you are who you say you are. The authenticator can be your phone, computer, or security key. Your Dashlane account can also act as an authenticator, which lets you use the same passkey anywhere you’re logged in to Dashlane.
Before logging in, you need to create a passkey for the account. The process for creating passkeys is simple.
- When you access a website or app, enter your username as usual.
- The site asks if you want to create a passkey, and you confirm.
Note: The process depends on the website or app you're using. For some websites and apps, you’ll need to go to your account's security settings to set up passkeys.
- You save the passkey to the authenticator you want to use. If you’re logged in to Dashlane when you create the passkey, we’ll ask if you want to save the passkey in Dashlane.
Manage passkeys with Dashlane
Dashlane is preparing to help you manage your online life with sites using passkeys. For the moment, only a few websites and platforms have the technology to do so. For sites and apps set up for passkey login, you can manage and use your passkeys with Dashlane in these ways.
What you can do | Web app | Android | Apple apps |
Save and store passkeys | ✓ | Available with Android 14 | ✓ |
Log in to your accounts with passkeys | ✓ | Available with Android 14 | ✓ |
View, edit, and delete passkeys | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Save a passkey in the Dashlane web app
- Log in to the latest version of the Dashlane extension.
Update to the latest version of Dashlane
Log in to Dashlane - Go to a website that uses passkeys, like Google or Adobe. You can also test passkeys on WebAuthn's demo site.
- Ask the site to set up a passkey. This process depends on the site you're using. Some sites ask you during login if you want to create a passkey. For other sites, you need to sign in and go to your account settings.
Here are some examples:
In Adobe, log in and go to the Sign-in and security section of your account settings. Then select Add in the Passkeys section.
For Google, sign in and go to the passkey setup page. Then select Create a passkey and Continue in the pop-up.
Visit Google's passkey setup pageFor WebAuthn, enter a username and select Register.
Visit WebAuthn - Dashlane asks if you want to create a new passkey for this site. Select Confirm. If asked, enter your Master Password, and select Unlock. Dashlane creates a passkey for the site.
Example from Adobe:
Log in with a passkey saved in the Dashlane web app
- Log in to the latest version of the Dashlane extension.
Update to the latest version of Dashlane
Log in to Dashlane - Go to a website with a passkey saved in Dashlane.
- Enter your username or select the account you want to log in with. You may need to specify that you want to log in with a passkey, not a password. For example, if Adobe asks you to enter your password, select Sign in with passkey.
- Dashlane asks if you want to log in to the site. Select Confirm to access your account.
Example from Adobe:
Manage passkeys in the web app
You can view, edit, and delete passkeys in the Dashlane web app. A Passkeys section appears when you add your first passkey to Dashlane.
To make changes, select the passkey you want to edit. You can change the Item name to choose how the passkey is labeled in your vault or add important information in the Note. Starter, Team, and Business plan members can choose whether to store the passkey in their Personal or Business Space. When you make any of these changes, a Save button appears for you to save your changes.
To delete a passkey in the web app, select the passkey and then Delete. Then confirm by selecting Delete passkey.
Save a passkey in the Dashlane Android app
To create and store passkeys with Android 14, you need to first activate Dashlane as an identity provider in your device settings. Go to Settings and select Password and Identity. Then select Dashlane from the list of Passwords, passkeys, and data services.
Important: At this time, you can create passkeys for apps but not for websites using your Android device.
- Log in to the latest version of the Dashlane Android app.
Update to the latest version of Dashlane
Log in to Dashlane - Go to an app that uses passkeys.
- Ask the app to set up a passkey. This process will depend on the app you're using.
- Dashlane asks if you want to create a new key for this app. Select Continue. If asked, enter your Master Password, and select Unlock. Dashlane creates a passkey for the app.
Log in with a passkey saved in the Dashlane Android app
- Log in to the latest version of the Dashlane Android app.
Update to the latest version of Dashlane
Log in to Dashlane - Go to an app where you have a passkey saved in Dashlane.
- Enter your username or select the account you want to log in with. You may need to specify that you want to log in with a passkey, not a password.
- Dashlane asks if you want to log in to the site. Select Continue to access your account.
Manage passkeys in the Dashlane Android app
You can view, edit, and delete saved passkeys in the Dashlane Android app. Passkeys appear with your other logins in your vault but have a passkey icon to distinguish them from password-based logins.
To edit, select the passkey and then select the pencil icon. You can change the Item name to choose how the passkey is labeled in your vault or add important information in the Note. Starter, Team, and Business plan members can choose whether to store the passkey in their Personal or Business Space. Select the checkmark to save your changes.
To delete, select the passkey and then select the pencil icon. Select Delete and then confirm in the pop-up.
You need Android 14 to create and log in with passkeys using the Dashlane Android app. Android 14 isn't available yet for the general public. Under certain conditions, you can get Android 14 as part of the Android Beta Program.
Get Android 14 through the Android Beta Program
Read more about Dashlane's Android passkey support on our blog
Save a passkey in the Dashlane iOS (Apple) app
- Log in to the latest version of the Dashlane iOS (Apple) app on your iPhone or iPad.
Update to the latest version of Dashlane
Log in to Dashlane - Go to an app or website that uses passkeys.
- Ask the app or website to set up a passkey. This process will depend on the app or website you're using.
- Dashlane asks if you want to create a passkey. Select Continue. Dashlane creates a passkey for the app.
Log in with a passkey saved in the Dashlane iOS (Apple) app
- Log in to the latest version of the Dashlane iOS (Apple) app on your iPhone or iPad.
Update to the latest version of Dashlane
Log in to Dashlane - Go to an app or website where you have a passkey saved in Dashlane.
- Enter your username or select the account you want to log in with. You may need to specify that you want to log in with a passkey, not a password.
- Dashlane asks if you want to sign in to the site or app with your passkey. Select Continue to access your account.
Manage passkeys in the Dashlane iOS (Apple) app
You can view, edit, and delete saved passkeys in the Dashlane iOS (Apple) app. Passkeys appear with your other logins in your vault but have a passkey icon to distinguish them from password-based logins.
You can manage your passkey directly in your vault by selecting the 3-dot menu next to the login. From the 3-dot menu, you can select Copy username, Open website, Edit or Delete.
You can also select the passkey and then select the Edit. You can change the Item name to choose how the passkey is labeled in your vault or add important information in the Note. Starter, Team, and Business plan members can choose whether to store the passkey in their Personal or Business Space. Select the checkmark to save your changes.
To delete, select the passkey and then select Edit. Select Delete and then confirm in the pop-up.
To manage passkeys in the Dashlane iOS (Apple) app for your iPhone or iPad, you need the operating system iOS 17 or later.
How to download iOS 17
Common questions
Is it possible to have both passwords and passkeys for a site?
Yes. As the online world transitions to passkeys, you'll probably use a mix of passkeys and passwords to log in to your different accounts. On some websites and apps, you'll be able to choose whether you log in with a passkey or a password.
With Dashlane, you can use either type of login. When you go to websites and apps that are set up to use both passkeys and passwords, you can choose how you log in. When you select the login field for one of these sites, a pop-up will open showing any logins you've saved in Dashlane for the site.
You can select a password login, shown with a lock icon, and Dashlane autofills your login information before you sign in. Or you can select a passkey login, shown with a passkey icon, and we'll log you in directly. You can also select Use a different passkey to use a passkey that is saved somewhere other than Dashlane, like your browser.
Note: Dashlane is using "Conditional UI" to navigate the transition to passkeys. The UI, or "user interface," is everything you see and interact with when using a website or app. With Conditional UI, the user interface adapts to the type of login you're using. For websites and apps that use both passkeys and passwords, you see one user interface but can use either type of login to access your account.
Can I log in to Dashlane with a passkey?
Not yet. We’re working to create passwordless login for Dashlane accounts and will add this feature in the future.
What happens if I lose the device where I store my passkeys?
If you use Dashlane to manage passkeys, your passkeys remain available in your vault, which you can access on any device. For example, if you lose your phone, you can still log in to Dashlane on your computer and use your passkeys to access your accounts. The Dashlane app on your lost phone remains protected by your PIN, fingerprint, Face ID, or Master Password.
Apple Keychain and Google’s password manager give the option to store passkeys in the cloud. So, if you lose an iOS or Android device where you’ve stored passkeys, you’ll still likely have access to them from other devices.
If you can't access your passkeys on any device, the process for recovering your account will depend on the website or app you’re using. For accounts that use both passkeys and passwords, you’ll likely be able to use your password to recover the account. Some sites and apps might send you a recovery email like they do when you reset your password.
Can I share, import, and export passkeys with Dashlane?
You can’t share passkeys yet. But we’re working on adding this feature. For the time being, many websites and apps are using both passkeys and passwords at the same time. So you can share a password instead if you want someone else to access your account. Dashlane and other companies are working on making it possible to import and export passkeys. But the technology to do so isn't available yet.
Next steps
Dashlane helps you manage passkeys for any websites that are set up to use them. But remember, there may be some kinks to work out. You'll be able to use Dashlane to manage your passkeys in more places as more websites and platforms start using this login method.
Have you noticed bugs or problems using passkeys in Dashlane?
Give feedback to Customer Support
Want to learn more about passkeys? Check out these resources.
Learn more about the WebAuthn standards behind passkeys
Dashlane's role in the passwordless future