How to set up and manage passkeys for your PayPal account

First of all, what are passkeys?

Passkeys are a new, highly secure authentication method developed with the help of the FIDO Alliance. The goal is to help people log in to their accounts more safely and easily than with traditional passwords.

To achieve this, passkeys combine biometric verification (like your fingerprint) with cryptographic keys to provide a secure login option that can be activated with just a touch. Unlike passwords, passkeys can’t be guessed, making them resistant to phishing and brute-force attacks. That’s why they offer the perfect blend of security and convenience.

How to create a passkey for your PayPal account

Setting up a passkey for your PayPal account is a simple process that takes about 5 minutes. Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to PayPal’s Help Center, locate the section on passkeys, and open the link to the “Passkey Creation” page.

2. Log in to your PayPal account with your PayPal password.

3. Authenticate your device using your fingerprint, facial recognition, or device password.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup of your passkey.

How to log in to PayPal with a passkey

Once you create a passkey for your PayPal account, you can log in quickly and securely. Here’s how:

1. Launch the PayPal app and enter your email address on the login screen.

2. If you’re using the device you created the passkey on, it will automatically trigger the passkey login. If you’re on a different device, select “Other options,” then “Passkey from a nearby device,” and finally, scan the QR code displayed on your screen using the device with your passkey.

3. Unlock your device using your preferred biometric (Face ID, Touch ID), PIN, or password to complete the passkey login.

How to manage your PayPal account passkey

At any moment, you can review or remove the passkeys you’ve created for your PayPal account.

Review your passkey

You can easily review your passkeys by going to your account settings and opening the “Passkey Management” page. From there, you can disable, update, or remove any of the passkeys linked to your PayPal account.

Delete your passkey

To delete a passkey, follow these steps:

1. Go to the “Passkey Management” page.

2. Find the passkey you want to delete.

3. Click “Remove this passkey.”

4. Confirm the action.

Important: if you remove your passkey via PayPal settings, it won’t automatically be deleted from your device. So, to fully remove it, you’ll also need to go to your device settings and delete it there too.

Store and manage your passkeys with NordPass

If you’re looking to add even more security and convenience to your login experience, NordPass is the perfect tool to store and manage your passkeys. While it’s known as a password manager, NordPass also lets you create, store, and organize passkeys for all your online accounts, keeping everything safe in one place. You can even share your passkeys with others or use them alongside your current password for an added layer of protection with two-factor authentication (2FA).

Haven’t tried passkeys yet? Use NordPass to create your first ones and see just how easy and secure logging into your accounts can be.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I know if a passkey is available for my PayPal account?

It’s easy to check if you can use passkeys with your PayPal account. Simply visit PayPal’s “Passkey Creation” page on your device and try to create a passkey. If the option isn’t available, you’ll be notified that passkeys are not currently available for use with your account.

How do I use my existing passkey for PayPal across all my devices?

If you’d like to log in with a passkey on a device other than the one where it’s stored, simply select the “Passkey from a nearby device” option during login and follow the prompts. However, to access your passkey across all your devices, you’ll need a solution like NordPass. It securely stores your passkeys in an encrypted storage, ensuring you can access them from any device.