Protecting your Mac and personal data has become more vital than ever. With sensitive information like passwords, payment details, and private messages stored locally, securing access is crucial. Traditional passwords are increasingly vulnerable—susceptible to hacking, guessing, or reuse across sites. That’s where Apple’s innovative passkey technology offers a breakthrough.

By leveraging biometric authentication and device-based security, passkeys eliminate the need for passwords. Instead, they use a combination of your trusted Apple device and your biometric data—like fingerprint or facial recognition—to authenticate your identity seamlessly. This approach significantly reduces risks linked to phishing and credential leaks.

Using public key cryptography, a passkey creates a pair of cryptographic keys: a public key stored on the server and a private key kept securely on your device. When signing in, Touch ID or Face ID verifies you before your Mac uses the private key to authenticate, ensuring your credentials never leave your device. Experts highlight that this method offers a more resilient defense against cyber threats compared to traditional passwords.

Stored securely via iCloud Keychain, passkeys are encrypted end-to-end, making even Apple unable to access your login data. If you lose a device, account recovery remains straightforward through multi-factor verification, ensuring your access stays protected. Setting up passkeys is simple—once enabled, they sync across all Apple devices under the same Apple ID.

Major platforms are rapidly adopting passkeys, making secure, password-free logins more accessible. While this technology enhances security, combining it with two-factor authentication and good digital habits further safeguards your Mac against threats.

David Nield

Dave is a freelance tech journalist with over 20 years covering gadgets, apps, and the web. From Stockport, England, he covers news, features, and reviews for TechRadar, focusing on phones, tablets, and wearables. He ensures top weekend breaking news and has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci, and others. He edited PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook for years. Read me on x.com or linkedin.