iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia Let Websites and Apps Automatically Update Existing Logins to Passkeys

With the new Passwords app in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, there's a feature that is designed to allow websites and apps to upgrade existing accounts to passkeys automatically.

ios 18 passkey upgrade
Enabled by default, the feature will speed up the adoption of passkeys, which are more secure than a traditional login and password. Passkeys log you in with Face ID or Touch ID rather than a password, and because on-device authentication is required, passkeys put a stop to online attacks like phishing. There's no password to steal or authentication code that can be intercepted.

Several popular websites and services have implemented Passkey support since Apple started using passkeys in 2022, including Twitter, Google, WhatsApp, TikTok, PayPal, Best Buy, Microsoft, PlayStation, and eBay.

Passkeys are supported in the new Passwords app that's available in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and Windows PCs through iCloud for Windows.

Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia

Popular Stories

iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Thursday January 15, 2026 10:56 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another eight months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of January 2026: The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

New Leak Reveals iPhone 18 Pro Display Sizes, Under-Screen Face ID, and More

Wednesday January 14, 2026 7:09 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around eight months away, a leaker has shared some alleged details about the devices. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week, the account Digital Chat Station said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Consistent with previous...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, Macs, and More

Thursday January 15, 2026 11:19 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the United States, according to the company's website. Most of the values declined slightly, but some of the Mac values increased. iPhone ...
Verizon New

Verizon Offering $20 Credit After Major Outage, Here's How to Get It

Thursday January 15, 2026 7:37 am PST by
Verizon today announced it will be offering customers a $20 account credit after a major outage on Wednesday, and action is required to receive it. The carrier said affected customers can accept the credit by logging into the My Verizon app, but it might take some time before this option shows up in the app. Affected customers will receive a text message when the credit is available. On...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

These 5 Apple Products Will Reportedly Be Upgraded With OLED Displays

Friday January 16, 2026 7:07 pm PST by
Apple plans to upgrade the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, iMac, and MacBook Air with OLED displays between 2026 and 2028, according to DigiTimes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the iPad mini and MacBook Pro will receive an OLED display as early as this year, but he does not expect the MacBook Air to adopt the technology until 2028 at the earliest. A new iPad Air is...

Top Rated Comments

SpotOnT Avatar
21 months ago
Not a fan of passkeys. They tie you to a specific piece of hardware…which is probably why Apple likes them so much.

I have been in numerous situations where I had to check email/airline accounts/etc from a different device.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diskrisk Avatar
21 months ago

Not a fan of passkeys. They tie you to a specific piece of hardware…which is probably why Apple likes them so much.
They don't. Passkeys can theoretically be shared (1Password is working to allow this) and multiple passkeys can be generated attached to the same account.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
21 months ago
If you are robbed and lose access to all of your Apple devices, how do you login to your insurance provider to file a claim? How do login to anything with only passkeys and no device? Genuinely curious. Can I login to iCloud and use that on a new device or from the web? I’ve been hesitant to upgrade.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eminemdrdre00 Avatar
21 months ago

If you are robbed and lose access to all of your Apple devices, how do you login to your insurance provider to file a claim? How do login to anything with only passkeys and no device? Genuinely curious. Can I login to iCloud and use that on a new device or from the web? I’ve been hesitant to upgrade.
They are sync'd with iCloud. So you can log into a new device with your Apple ID and then your passkeys will be available.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bevel Avatar
21 months ago
This is going to be seen as forced adoption and there is going to be pushback against it

Look at all the confusion in these comments about how passkeys work. A password is easy to understand. Passkeys are the unknown. This will make them difficult to defend

I am not sure what Apple has done is the best idea here. It is at least going to polarise a bunch of people against them
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LightProtector Avatar
21 months ago
This is nice, but I hope it's a prompt that asks. I would really like it to not automatically do something without my consent.

I also wonder how this works? Seems like a good feature nonetheless.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)