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GitHub is one of the biggest developer platforms in the world, offering an easy way for programmers to track their projects and share code and expertise with their peers. It houses over 400 million repositories, only a fraction of which are open-source. Naturally, developers on GitHub want to ensure their code is safe and might want to utilize every extra security feature the platform has to offer. Today, we’ll walk through the process of setting up and managing passkeys on your GitHub account.
Contents:
What is a passkey?
A passkey is a passwordless form of account authentication and a safer alternative to the traditional passwords we all know and love. It combines biometric verification with a pair of cryptographic keys to provide a faster and safer way to log in to your accounts. One of the keys is stored within your device, while the other is kept on a server.
Passkeys were developed with the help of the FIDO Alliance and are FIDO2 compliant. Their passwordless structure eliminates the need to remember your login credentials, and the split keys make your accounts more resilient against brute-force attacks.
How to set up a passkey for your GitHub account
You can easily set up a passkey for your GitHub account in the website settings:
Click on your profile photo at the top right corner of the website and select “Settings.”
Under the “Access” section, select “Password and authentication.”
Here, you’ll see the “Passkeys” category. Select “Add a passkey.”
You will be prompted to enter a password to configure passwordless authentication.
From this point, you need to create a passkey using your preferred passkey provider. For instance, if you use NordPass, you will see a pop-up in your browser.
Follow your passkey provider’s instructions and save your passkey for GitHub.
Once you’ve created the passkey, you’ll be prompted by GitHub to give it a nickname to easily identify it on different devices.
That’s it! You’ve successfully set up a passkey for your GitHub account.
Keep in mind that you can only change your password settings and add a passkey to your account on the website. You can’t add a passkey on the mobile app.
How to sign in to GitHub using a passkey
Once you’ve set up a passkey on your GitHub account, you can use it to log in swiftly.
Open the GitHub login page on your browser. If you’re using the mobile app, you will be automatically redirected to the browser login page when you select “Sign in.”
Select “Sign in with a passkey.”
From here, continue with your passkey provider. For instance, the NordPass browser extension will automatically detect your passkey for GitHub.
Authenticate your passkey to complete your login attempt.
How to manage passkeys for your GitHub account
If you want to add more passkeys to your account or switch back to using a password, you can easily manage this in your GitHub settings.
GitHub allows you to add more than one passkey to your account. To add extra passkeys, simply follow the same steps as you did to create the first one.
If you need to recover a lost passkey, you have to do this on your passkey provider’s end. If the passkey is cloud-based, all you need to do is synchronize your passkey provider between devices. However, if your passkey is device-bound, it cannot be recovered. To avoid this, it’s recommended to set up at least two passkeys on two different devices. That way, you always have access to at least one passkey and lower the risk of losing your account.
If you want to remove a passkey from your account, follow these steps:
Click on your profile photo at the top right corner of the website and select “Settings.”
Under the “Access” section, select “Password and authentication.”
Select the trash bin icon to the right of the passkey you want to remove. Keep in mind that this action is irreversible.
You will see a pop-up window informing you about the deletion. Select “Delete” to complete the process.
If you change your mind and want to use a passkey again, just follow the setup instructions we’ve covered.
Effectively store and manage your passkeys with NordPass
GitHub is only one of numerous platforms that have added passwordless login in recent years. It’s joined the likes of Amazon, PayPal, and Microsoft. While passkeys are still emerging, you can already set up a solid passkey vault with NordPass.
NordPass is an advanced password and passkey manager that keeps all your credentials in one place and cuts down your login process to the fastest route. You can keep all your passwords, passkeys, credit card details, and other sensitive information secure and synchronized across your devices, ensuring you can reach the data you need whenever you need it.
If you’re looking to upgrade your GitHub and other accounts to passwordless login, NordPass keeps it simple. Just create your account, get the extension set up, and NordPass will detect it whenever you’re adding a passkey to a new account. Try NordPass today and leave the trouble of remembering passwords behind you.