Frequently Asked Questions

Integration

What will the integration look like, and what level of effort will be required from my team?

The integration involves adding just a few lines of code to your dApp. Passkeys follow standards like EIP-1193 for web3 connectivity and are designed to work out of the box with little to no modification to your code.

Can I customize the theme of the embedded wallet?

Yes, you're able to customize some elements of the embedded wallet to better match your own look and feel. You can learn more about theming in our docs.

Chain Support

Which chains will Passkeys support?

Any and all of them can be supported! We are planning to ship with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon and Solana, in addition to the following Ethereum L2s: Arbitrum One, Avalanche C-Chain, Base, BNB Chain and Optimism.

We are also working on adding dynamic EVM support so you can enable any custom EVM that isn't built-in.

What if Passkeys does not support the chain of my dApp?

Please drop us a line at [email protected].

Usability

Will users be able to swap crypto without leaving the dApp?

Yes! A user can swap crypto (including cross-chain swaps) via our swap providers directly from within the embedded wallet on your dApp.

Will users be able to purchase crypto without leaving the dApp?

Yes! A user can purchase crypto via our fiat on-ramp providers directly from within the embedded wallet on your dApp.

How will the fiat on-ramp experience change in different jurisdictions?

The general premise will remain the same, but different jurisdictions will have varying KYC requirements.

Compatibility

What platforms are compatible with Passkeys?

Passkeys are available in a wide range of platforms and operating systems, including Android, iOS, Mac and Windows, running browsers like Brave, Chrome and Safari.

Can users use the same Passkey on multiple platforms (e.g. desktop & mobile)?

Yes! Passkeys will automatically sync to any other device that's using the same backup provider. More specifically, devices in the following groups automatically synchronize Passkeys:

iOS and macOS through iCloud Keychain on Brave or Chrome or Firefox or Safari
Android through Google Password Manager on Brave or Chrome or Samsung Browser
Any OS through 1Password with browsers that 1Password supports

The following combinations do not yet sync Passkeys, which remain local to the device:

Windows 11 through Windows Hello on any browser
macOS with Brave and Chrome local browser profiles

For combinations that are not automatically synced, we built a mechanism that will allow users to scan a QR code to clone their Passkey to another device. This allows for very seamless syncing by doing a one time scan for cases like Windows and Android.

Backup & Recovery

How is a Passkey backed up?

Passkeys are automatically backed up by the device. Different platforms use different backup mechanisms. For example, iCloud Keychain is used on iOS and macOS, whereas Google Password Manager is used on Android. Additionally, password managers like 1Password can be used for storing the Passkey. Windows is an exception here, see question below.

What happens if a platform does not back up Passkeys?

We built a mechanism that allows a user to scan a QR code to clone their Passkey to another device. For example, Windows Hello (the default "authenticator" on Windows) does not back up Passkeys yet. After funding the wallet, users are be prompted to create a backup by scanning the QR code from a different device (e.g. your Android phone). From then on, their Passkey will be available on both devices, as well as on the backup mechanism of their second device (e.g. Google Password Manager if they used an Android phone). This preserves the frictionless onboarding experience, while offering an easy backup experience.

How can users recover their Passkeys?

Recovering a Passkey involves authenticating with the account (e.g. Apple ID or Google) linked to the device where the Passkey was created. In the case of Apple and Google, the Passkeys are end-to-end encrypted so the recovery process involves the previous device's password or pin to recover.

Can users export Passkeys to a different wallet in the future?

Yes! There is an advanced feature that allows exporting private keys from the Passkey. A private key can be imported into a wallet that supports the corresponding chain.

Security

Are Passkeys non-custodial (i.e. self-custody)?

Yes! By design, there is no way for a transaction to occur without the user's device's involvement.

Passkeys are powered by multi-party computation (MPC), and for any transaction to happen, the user's device has to sign the transaction using its client key. The client key can only be decrypted and used by the user's device. The reason for that is that the Passkey stored on the user's device holds the cryptographic material needed to decrypt the key and use it. Therefore, the user is the only one who is in control of their assets.

What happens if the user's device does not support biometric authentication?

Depending on the platform, the user will be prompted to use their system password or pin code.

Detecting Other Wallets