Effortless Passkey Synchronization Across Devices with Chrome

Replacing traditional passwords, passkeys are a secure and more user-friendly alternative. However, achieving seamless passkey management across various devices remains a challenge. Each tech company has its own unique system for passkey storage, leading to inconsistencies in function.

The main difficulty arises when attempting to synchronize these passkeys across all your devices and web browsers. For instance, saving a passkey on your Android device doesn't guarantee its availability on other systems, such as a PC.

How to Utilize Chrome's Built-in Password Manager for Passkeys

Google's integrated Password Manager offers a reliable solution for managing and syncing passkeys. Integrated directly into Chrome, this tool is accessible on Android, Windows, Mac, and iOS devices, allowing synchronization across these platforms.

Step 1: Configure Google Password Manager on Android

Begin by accessing your Android settings. Navigate to options like 'Passwords & accounts' or 'Passwords, passkeys & accounts.' On certain devices, like Samsung, delve into 'Security and privacy' to locate the appropriate setting.

Ensure that Google is set as the default for managing passwords and ensure app data sync is active. If needed, select Google as the default autofill provider.

Step 2: Generate a Passkey on Android

To initiate a new passkey, for instance with an Amazon account, use Chrome on your Android phone. After accessing the 'Login & Security' settings, proceed to set up a passkey.

Use your preferred authentication method, such as a fingerprint or face scan, to finalize and save the generated passkey.

Step 3: Setting Up Chrome on iPhone

For iPhone or iPad users opting for Chrome over Safari, visit the 'Settings' menu. Under 'General,' find 'AutoFill & Passwords' and activate Chrome as the autofill source.

Step 4: Enable Sync on iPhone

Within Chrome on iPhone, go to 'Settings' and select your account at the top. Ensure 'Passwords and passkeys' are marked for synchronization.

Step 5: Implement a Passkey on iPhone

In Chrome, navigate to a site like Adobe to set up a passkey. After logging in, follow the prompts to authenticate using Face ID or Touch ID, successfully storing your passkey.

Step 6: Configure Chrome for Windows

Initiate Chrome on Windows while signed into your Google account. Access 'Passwords and autofill' from your profile settings and manage password manager settings, ensuring all relevant toggles for password management and sync are activated.

Step 7: Password Sync in Chrome

Under 'You and Google' in settings, enable synchronization and manage custom sync options, making sure to include 'Passwords and passkeys.'

Step 8: Create a Passkey on Windows

Navigating to a service such as LinkedIn through Chrome on Windows, generate a passkey by following account settings for creating a new passkey, and authenticate as required.

Step 9: Mac Setup with Chrome

Sign in to Chrome on your Mac, and like in other platforms, manage 'Passwords and autofill' settings to ensure they're correctly configured for saving passkeys.

Step 10: Synchronize on Mac

Similarly, activate syncing under 'You and Google,' and manage the items you wish to synchronize, confirming that passkey syncing is enabled.

Step 11: Generating a Mac Passkey

For creating a passkey on a Mac, navigate to a website like GitHub using Chrome, and follow the necessary steps in the website's authentication settings to create and save a passkey.

Step 12: Testing Your Passkeys

With passkeys established and stored via Google Password Manager across Android, iPhone, Windows, and Mac, attempt to log in at one of these websites from any device. The passkey should allow you access seamlessly.

Considerations and Challenges

While this process may seem complex, the setup needs to be done only once per passkey. Challenges may arise, like the need to manually sync an Android device or issues specific to Google account passkey synchronization—often pointing to current limitations in passkey systems.

Despite these hurdles, for those not ready to commit to a standalone password manager, Chrome’s built-in tools provide a viable option for cross-device passkey synchronization.