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How to Use Passkeys Instead of Passwords in Microsoft 365

Applies toMicrosoft 365Windows 11Windows 10macOS
5 min fix Updated 21 Aug 2026

By , 10+ years in IT support and helpdesk How these guides are checked

One detail in this guide is awaiting a product check. On 16 Aug 2026 a check of the vendor's own documentation raised a question about a step here that only a person at the screen can settle. If what you see does not match, use the Report issue link beside that step. The source
Quick Answer

Go to mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info, click Add sign-in method, choose Passkey (or 'Windows Hello'), and follow the prompts to register your device's PIN, fingerprint, or Face ID as a permanent login credential.

Estimated Time to Fix: 5 minutes

Summary ​

This article guides you through setting up and using a passkey (such as Windows Hello, Face ID, or Touch ID) to sign in to your Microsoft 365 account without typing a password. If you first want to know what a passkey is and how it protects you, read Understanding Passkeys, then come back here to set one up.

Before You Start ​

  • A device that supports passkeys (Windows Hello, Mac with Touch ID, iPhone, or Android).
  • The Microsoft Authenticator app (optional, but recommended for mobile passkeys).

Instructions ​

1. Register a Passkey for Your Account ​

Registering a passkey adds a sign-in method to your account without removing your password.

  1. Open your web browser and go to myaccount.microsoft.com.
  2. Sign in with your current Microsoft 365 email and password.
  3. Click on Security info in the left menu.
  4. Click Add sign-in method and select Passkey from the dropdown menu.
  5. Click Add and follow the on-screen prompts to create the passkey on your current device.
  6. Your browser will prompt you to use your device's biometric scanner (fingerprint, face recognition, or PIN) to confirm the setup.

2. Sign In Using Your Passkey ​

From here the sign-in is a fingerprint, a face, or a device PIN instead of a typed password.

  1. The next time you sign in to Microsoft 365 (e.g., at office.com), enter your email address and click Next.
  2. Click Sign in with a passkey or Use Windows Hello or a security key.
  3. Use your fingerprint, face, or device PIN when prompted.

3. Verify Success ​

You should reach your Microsoft 365 dashboard without seeing a password screen.

  1. You should be able to access your Microsoft 365 dashboard immediately after authenticating with your biometrics, skipping the password screen entirely.

Troubleshooting ​

WARNING

If your company IT department has not enabled passkey support for your organization, you may not see "Passkey" in the "Add sign-in method" dropdown.

That switch is your organization's to throw, and if they have not, no setting on your side turns it on. Passkeys are not only a work-account feature though — your personal Microsoft, Google, and Apple accounts support them now, and How to Set Up and Use Passkeys on Your Phone and Browser covers saving one with Face ID, a fingerprint, or your screen lock PIN.

There is a date attached to that wait if you use SMS or phone calls today. From September 1, 2026, anyone currently set up for SMS or voice verification is enabled for passkeys automatically, and the next time they sign in and complete MFA they are prompted to register one. An organization can delay that change until February 1, 2027, and there is no delaying it beyond that date. So if text messages or phone calls are among your sign-in methods, the question worth putting to IT is when your organization plans to make the switch rather than whether it will. A prompt may reach you before an answer does. By default you can snooze that prompt as often as you like. It reaches you at the end of an ordinary sign-in, after you have entered your password and completed MFA, and the control that defers it is Skip for now. Closing the browser window counts the same as skipping. Whether you are asked at all is decided per device and browser rather than per account, so a passkey registered on your laptop stops the prompt there while a different computer can still raise it. Two things narrow that snooze. Some organizations cap the skips at three, after which you register before you can carry on — but if you were moved onto passkeys automatically on September 1, 2026 because you use text messages or phone calls, that cap does not apply to you and the skips stay unlimited. And from February 1, 2027, anyone whose only remaining verification method is a text message or phone call gets a prompt that cannot be skipped at all.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Passkey option is missingOrganization policy restricts itYour organization has not enabled passkeys. Ask IT whether it is planned; meanwhile set one up on a personal account, and keep your MFA backup methods registered on the work account.
Device prompts for password instead of biometricsBrowser issue or passkey not saved locallyTry clearing your browser cache or re-adding the passkey in Security info.

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Frequently asked questions

What happens if I lose the laptop that has my passkey on it?
Your passkey is tied to the physical hardware. If you lose the laptop, sign in to Microsoft 365 on a new computer using a backup method (like the Authenticator app or a password) and register a new passkey.
Can I use my iPhone's Face ID as a passkey for my Windows computer?
Yes. When logging in, select 'Use a passkey on another device'. A QR code will appear on the Windows screen. Scan it with your iPhone camera to approve the sign-in using Face ID.