General
How to create a passkey in myGov
Ever created a password so strong and clever that you forgot it the next time you signed in to your online account? Do you have well-meaning intentions to update your passwords but it just slips your mind? You’ll be pleased to know there’s another way to sign in to your accounts and it doesn’t involve passwords.
Passkeys are a secure and password-less way to access your online accounts. They’re already being used by the likes of myGov and organistions like Apple, Microsoft and Google, to increase the security of their users’ accounts.
In this guide, we explore what passkeys are, how they work, and how you can set one up for your myGov account.
In this article:
- What is a passkey?
- How do passkeys work?
- Benefits of passkeys
- What you need to create a passkey
- How many passkeys do you need?
- Can the same passkey be used for the myGov app and website?
- What happens if you lose your device or get a new one
- What to do if you can’t use passkeys
What is a passkey?
A passkey allows you to sign in to an account on a website or app without having to enter a username or password or use multi-factor authentication. Instead, it uses the same technology you use to unlock your device with a PIN, your fingerprint or face recognition, to access your account.
Many large organisations are already using passkeys, you can see the full list on the passkeys website.
How do passkeys work?
Think of passkeys as a pair of keys. One is a private key stored securely on your device or password manager, while the other is a public key held by a company’s website or app.
Your passkey acts as an authenticator that proves you are who you say you are. It can be stored on your smartphone, computer or tablet or a password manager, including built-in versions like iCloud Keychain on Apple devices or Google Password Manager on Android.
When you sign in to a website or app the two keys ‘talk’ to each other to verify your identity, when there’s a match they allow you access to your account.
Benefits of passkeys
Passkeys combat some of the frustrations that come with passwords, including having to create or memorise passwords each time you want to access your online accounts. Password managers are designed to help with this and are a secure option, however with passkeys no passwords are required and they’re not shared with the website or app you’re accessing.
One of the biggest benefits of passkeys is they are more secure than passwords. That’s because passkeys only work with the website or app they’ve been created for, meaning they won’t work with fake websites that try to capture your sign in credentials.
What you need to create a passkey
To create a passkey, you need to have a compatible device that’s your own and a compatible browser. Passkeys aren’t recommended if you use shared or public devices, including public computers at libraries or a device that’s shared with one or more people in your household.
To create a passkey, you need:
- a laptop or desktop that runs at least Windows 10, macOS Ventura, or ChromeOS 109.
- a smartphone that runs at least iOS 16 or Android 9.
- a computer or smartphone that supports a browser that’s at least Chrome 109, Safari 16, Edge 109 or Firefox 122.
You can find out how to check which software or browser version you have here:
- software: Windows , macOS, ,Chrome , iOS (Apple), or Android .
- browser: Google Chrome , Microsoft Edge ,Firefox , and for Apple Safari users, go to Safari in the top menu, then select About Safari.
How to create a passkey in myGov
Before you create a passkey, first check that your device and operating system can support passkeys, then follow these steps.
To set up a passkey on your device:
- Sign in to my.gov.au
- Go to My account or Menu, then select Account settings.
- From Sign in settings go to Passkeys and select Manage.
- Enter your password and select Next (or if you have a Digital ID, select verify using Digital ID, then Continue with Digital ID).
- From Passkeys select Create passkey, then select Next and follow the prompts.
There may be different options depending on the device you’re using, so for more detailed step-by-step instructions and information on how to sign in to myGov using a passkey, go to my.gov.au/passkeys . You’ll also find information on how to remove a passkey if you no longer wish to use it.
How many passkeys do you need?
When you create a passkey on a device, it may sync to your other devices if they’re signed into the same password manager (remember this can either be a third-party password manager or one that’s built into your smartphone or tablet). For example, an iPhone or iPad signed in to the same AppleID can use the same passkey to access an account because they’re synced across the devices using iCloud Keychain, Apple’s built-in password manager.
If your devices don’t share a password manager, you’ll need to create a passkey on each device you use to sign in to your myGov account, or any other account for that matter. This is known as a non-synced passkey. Non-synced passkeys can only be used on the device they’ve been created and can’t be shared across other devices. myGov lets you create up to three passkeys.
The benefit of having a synced passkey means you can still access your account if one of your devices is lost, stolen, or replaced. For example, if you lose your tablet that has a synced passkey, you’ll still be able to access your account via another device.
If you don’t use a password manager, it’s a good idea to have a back-up passkey on another device to ensure you can still access your account.
Can the same passkey be used for the myGov app and website?
If you use the same device to access the myGov website and app then your passkey should work for both. However, if you use more than one device, you’ll need a password manager to sync your passkey so that it can be used across multiple devices.
For example, if you use a laptop to access your myGov account via the website and your smartphone for the myGov app, a synced passkey means you can use the same passkey across your devices, regardless of whether you use the myGov website or app. Whereas a non-synced passkey means you’ll need to have one passkey on your laptop and another passkey for your smartphone.
What happens if you lose your device or get a new one?
If you lose the device you used to create your passkey, there are several things you can do to sign in to your myGov account another way. First, you can access your account on another device via a synced or a backup passkey. You can also sign in to your myGov account with your username and password (if you haven’t turned it off during set up) or use your Digital ID if you have one and it's connected to your myGov account.
If you update or get a new device, your synced passkey will be available on your new device if it’s using the same password manager. If you have a non-synced passkey or your new device uses a different operating system, you may need to create a new passkey.
What to do if you can’t use passkeys
If you’re currently not set up to use passkeys or you simply prefer not to make the switch just yet, you can continue to use your myGov username and password to access your myGov account. That said, be sure to make yours a strong, unique passphrase and turn on 2 factor authentication.
For more information
Visit the myGov website for more information about myGov passkeys or for help setting up or using the myGov app .