How to set up a passkey for your Google Account

A passkey lets you sign in to Gmail and the rest of your Google Account with the same unlock you already use on your device — a fingerprint, a face scan, or the PIN you type into your laptop. There is no password to type, and nothing for a fake sign-in page to steal, because a passkey only works on the real Google page it was made for. This guide creates one from a desktop browser. The phone steps are under Variations.

What you'll need: A Google Account. A computer with a screen lock already set up — Touch ID or a login password on a Mac, or Windows Hello (a PIN, face or fingerprint) on Windows. A current browser — Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox.

Open your Google Account settings

Go to myaccount.google.com and sign in if you aren't already.

Open the Security section

Click Security in the menu on the left.

Find the passkeys page

Scroll to the How you sign in to Google section and click Passkeys and security keys.

The address g.co/passkeys takes you straight to this page, which saves steps 1 to 3 next time.

Confirm it's you

Google usually asks for your password before it shows this page, and for a 2-Step Verification code if you have that turned on. Enter them and continue.

Create the passkey

Click Create a passkey. If a box appears explaining what a passkey is, click Continue.

You may already see a passkey listed for an Android phone. Google creates one automatically on Android phones signed in to your account. That one is fine to keep — this guide adds one for the computer you're using now.

Approve with your device unlock

Your computer now takes over with its own prompt. On a Mac, touch the Touch ID sensor or enter your Mac login password. On Windows, Windows Hello asks for your PIN, face or fingerprint.

If the prompt asks where to save the passkey, pick the option that belongs to this computer — iCloud Keychain on a Mac, Windows Hello or This device on Windows, or Google Password Manager if you're signed in to Chrome. Any of these work. The difference is which of your other devices the passkey syncs to.

Check it appears in the list

Back on the Google page, the new passkey shows under Passkeys you created, named after the device or browser that holds it, with the date it was created. Nothing else to save or write down.

Sign out and sign in with it

Sign out of Google, then sign in again with your email address. Google should offer the passkey straight away — approve it with the same fingerprint, face or PIN you used in step 6, and you're in.

If Google asks for your password instead, click Try another way and choose Use your passkey.

Variations

Create a passkey on an iPhone or iPad

Open Safari, go to g.co/passkeys, sign in and tap Create a passkey. Confirm with Face ID or Touch ID. The passkey is saved to iCloud Keychain, so it also works on any Mac or iPad signed in to the same Apple Account — you don't need to repeat the steps above on those.

Save the passkey in a password manager instead

If you use 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane or similar with its browser extension installed, the extension steps in at step 6 and offers to store the passkey itself. Accept, and the passkey then follows you to every device where that password manager is signed in. Our password manager guide covers choosing one.

Sign in on a computer that has no passkey, using your phone

On the sign-in screen, when Google asks for a passkey, choose the option to use a phone or tablet. A QR code appears. Scan it with your phone's camera, approve with your phone's unlock, and the computer signs in without storing anything. The computer does need Bluetooth turned on for this to work.

Troubleshooting

Google still asks for my password every time

On the Passkeys and security keys page, look for the Skip password when possible setting and make sure it is turned on. Google turns it on by default for personal accounts, so if it's off, someone switched it off at some point. Google also only offers a passkey on a device that holds one — on a device with no passkey, you still get the password prompt.

Nothing happens when I click Create a passkey, or it says my device isn't supported

Passkeys need a screen lock. On a Mac, open System Settings › Touch ID & Password and make sure a login password is set. On Windows, open Settings › Accounts › Sign-in options and set up a PIN under Windows Hello. Older operating systems and browsers also lack passkey support, so update both if the option still doesn't appear.

I've lost or sold a device that had a passkey on it

Sign in with your password or another device, go to g.co/passkeys, find that device in the list and click the X (or Remove) next to it. The passkey on its own can't be used without the device's unlock, but removing it is still the sensible step. Your password keeps working throughout — a passkey is an extra way in, not a replacement you can lock yourself out of.

It's a work or school account and the option isn't there

Google Workspace administrators can turn passkeys off for their organisation. If the page shows no Create a passkey button, or says sign-in with a passkey alone isn't allowed, ask whoever manages your account.

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