How to Set Up Passkey Sync in Microsoft Edge

Passwords are on their way out. Microsoft Edge now has a built-in way to create, save, and sync passkeys across all your devices, using Microsoft Password Manager. No third-party app needed, no extra subscription. This guide explains what a passkey is, how Edge handles them, and exactly how to set everything up.

What Is a Passkey?

A passkey is a replacement for a password. Instead of typing a string of characters, you sign in using your device’s built-in security: a fingerprint, facial recognition, or a PIN. The website only stores a public key, while your private key stays on your device and never leaves it.

Passkeys cannot be phished. There is nothing to type, so there is nothing for a fake website to steal. They cannot be guessed or reused across sites. Security researchers and organizations like the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre now recommend passkeys over passwords as the default authentication method.

Passkeys are built on the FIDO2 open standard and are supported by Google, Apple, Microsoft, and most major websites and apps, including Google accounts, Microsoft accounts, GitHub, PayPal, and hundreds of others.

How Edge Handles Passkeys

Edge stores your passkeys in Microsoft Password Manager, the same place it stores your saved passwords. When you visit a site that supports passkeys and you are signed in with your Microsoft account (MSA), Edge offers to create and save a passkey for that site.

Your passkeys sync across all your devices signed in with the same Microsoft account. This means a passkey you create on your Windows PC is automatically available on your other Windows devices and on iOS and Android too (Android support is also available). Sync uses Microsoft’s cloud with encryption and hardware-isolated security backed by Azure Confidential Computing.

On Windows 11, Microsoft also offers a Microsoft Password Manager plugin. Once installed, your Edge passkeys work across other browsers and apps on the same PC, not just in Edge itself.

What You Need Before You Start

• Microsoft Edge on Windows (Mac and iOS also supported; Android in progress).
• A personal Microsoft account (MSA) signed in to Edge. Note: as of June 2026, enterprise (work/school) passkey sync is also rolling out, but the steps below cover personal MSA accounts.
• A device with Windows Hello, Face ID, Touch ID, or a device PIN set up.
• A website or app that supports passkeys.

How to Create a Passkey in Edge

You create passkeys from the website, not from Edge settings. Here is the general process, which works the same on most supported sites.

1. Go to the website where you want to create a passkey. Sign in with your existing password if you are not already signed in.
2. Go to the site’s security or account settings and look for a Passkeys or Sign-in options section.
3. Click Create a passkey or Add a passkey.
4. Edge will ask where you want to save the passkey. Choose Microsoft Password Manager.
5. Verify your identity using Windows Hello (fingerprint, face, or PIN).
6. The passkey is created and saved. You will see a confirmation from Edge.

The first time you save a passkey with Microsoft Password Manager, Edge asks you to set a Microsoft Password Manager PIN. This PIN protects your passkeys when you sign in on a new device. Choose a PIN you can remember, as you will need it when accessing your passkeys on new hardware. You have a maximum of 10 attempts to enter the correct PIN on a new device before the unlock process requires a reset.

How to Sign In With a Passkey in Edge

Once a passkey exists for a site, signing in is fast.

1. Go to the website’s sign-in page.
2. Click on the username field. Edge automatically offers the saved passkey with a prompt.
3. Select your passkey from the list.
4. Verify with Windows Hello (fingerprint, face, or PIN).
5. You are signed in. No password required.

How to Manage Your Passkeys in Edge Settings

You can view, search, and delete your saved passkeys from within Edge.

1. Click the three-dot menu in Edge and go to Settings.
2. Click Passwords and autofill.
3. Click Microsoft Password Manager.
4. Your passkeys are listed alongside your saved passwords. You can search by site name and delete any passkey you no longer need.

Alternatively, click your Profile icon in the top-right corner of Edge, then choose Passwords and autofill to reach the same place.

How Passkey Sync Works Across Devices

Your passkeys are encrypted and synced through your Microsoft account. When you sign in to Edge on a new device with the same Microsoft account, your passkeys are available, but you need to unlock them first by entering your Microsoft Password Manager PIN.

This one-time PIN step on each new device is a security design choice. It means that even if someone gets access to your Microsoft account, they still need the PIN to use your passkeys on a new device.

If you forget your Microsoft Password Manager PIN, you can reset it from any device that already has passkey access. Go to Edge Settings, then Passwords and autofill, then Microsoft Password Manager, then Settings, and look for the PIN reset option.

Which Websites Support Passkeys?

The list of sites supporting passkeys is growing quickly. As of 2026, major services with passkey support include: Google accounts, Microsoft accounts, GitHub, PayPal, Amazon, Adobe, Apple ID (via web), Dropbox, eBay, LinkedIn, and most major banks and financial apps. The website passkeys.directory maintains an up-to-date list if you want to check a specific service.

Good to Know

• Passkey sync in Edge is currently for personal Microsoft accounts (MSA). Enterprise (Entra ID / work accounts) passkey sync began rolling out in June 2026 and is gradually expanding.
• Your saved passwords are not affected when you create a passkey. Edge keeps both and will offer the passkey first on supported sites, but you can still use the password if needed.
• Biometric data (fingerprints, face scans) is processed entirely on your device and is never sent to Microsoft or any website. Websites only receive a cryptographic proof that you authenticated successfully.
• The Microsoft Password Manager plugin for Windows 11 is free and available from the Microsoft Store. It extends your Edge passkeys to Chrome, Firefox, and other apps on Windows.

Setting up passkeys in Edge takes about two minutes on the first site. After that, sign-ins that used to require typing become a single touch or glance. The sync means you only have to set up each passkey once across all your devices.