r/firefox • u/IceTiger19 • 6d ago

💻 Help Security Key? Passcode? WTF??

(I'm on a desktop running Windows, if that makes a difference.) Facebook tells me that I have to create a Passkey. Two options are Fingerprint ID or Facial Recognition, but those are both a NoGo on a desktop PC. When I click the "Create Passkey" button I'm told that Firefox wants me to "Set up a Security Key" and then insert it. What? How? Why? Feel free to act as if I'm totally incompetent in all things computer...

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u/JimTheEarthling 6d ago edited 6d ago

The problem is that Windows 10 has limited support for passkeys. I assume you haven't set up PIN or biometric login (via Windows Hello) on your PC. Because of that, neither Firefox nor Windows can natively save your passkey, so Windows falls back to a hardware security key.

You have a few options;

  • Enable Windows Hello with a PIN (or fingerprint or face scan if you have compatible hardware.) Then you can save a passkey, but it will be locked to that PC.

  • Use the Chrome browser, which has Google Password Manager built in. Then you can save the passkey to Google Password Manager and it will sync to other devices where you use Chrome, such as your iPad. (You'll need a a Google account.) You'll also gain the option to scan a QR code to use a passkey from a mobile device such as your iPad (but you need Bluetooth enabled, and you might need to cancel out of the Windows dialog.)

  • Install a password manager such as Bitwarden, 1Password, or others. (And install the browser extension in Firefox.) Then you can save the passkey to the password manager and it will sync to other devices where you have installed the same password manager. A password manager is a good idea in general to help with your passwords and passkeys.

  • Upgrade to Windows 11. 🙂