Where to find and change your passkey on iPhone

Your iPhone passkey lives in Settings under your Apple ID account. Open Settings, tap your name at the top, then select Password & Security. You will see a Passkeys section listing any passkeys you have created. Tap Edit in the upper right, then tap the red minus sign next to the passkey you want to remove. Confirm the deletion, and that passkey is gone.

To create a new passkey after deleting the old one, go back to Password & Security and tap Add a Passkey. Your iPhone will walk you through the process — it takes about 30 seconds. You will use Face ID or Touch ID to confirm, and the new passkey is when ready active.

The reason you delete first rather than "change" is that passkeys do not have a rename or update function. Each passkey is tied to a specific device and service. If you want a fresh one, you remove the old and create a new one in its place.

Key Takeaways

  • Passkeys are stored in Settings under your name, then Password & Security, not in a separate app or menu.
  • You cannot edit a passkey directly — you must delete it and create a new one.
  • Deleting a passkey does not affect your Apple ID password or other security settings.
  • Creating a new passkey takes less than a minute and uses Face ID or Touch ID to confirm.
  • If you delete a passkey by mistake, you can create another one when ready using the same process.

What happens when you delete a passkey

Deleting a passkey from your iPhone removes it only from that device. If you have the same passkey saved on another iPhone, iPad, or Mac, it stays there until you delete it from those devices too. This matters if you share an Apple ID across multiple devices or if you use iCloud Keychain to sync passkeys.

After you delete a passkey, any website or app that was using it will ask you to sign in again the next time you visit. You can use your Apple ID password instead, or create a new passkey at that moment. You are not locked out — deletion just removes the shortcut.

Creating a new passkey after deletion

Once you have deleted the old passkey, go back to Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security and tap Add a Passkey. Your iPhone will ask you to confirm with Face ID or Touch ID. The new passkey is created when ready and stored in iCloud Keychain if you have that turned on.

The new passkey works the same way as the old one — websites and apps that support passkeys will recognize it automatically. You do not need to do anything else. If a service does not recognize the new passkey right away, sign out and sign back in, and it should sync within a few minutes.

Passkeys across your devices

If you use iCloud Keychain, your passkeys sync across all your Apple devices — iPhone, iPad, and Mac. When you delete a passkey on one device, it disappears from all of them. When you create a new one on any device, it shows up on the others within a few minutes.

If you do not use iCloud Keychain, passkeys stay only on the device where you created them. You would need to delete and recreate them separately on each device. You can check whether iCloud Keychain is on by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and looking for Keychain in the list.

Why you might want to change your passkey

You might delete and recreate a passkey if you suspect it has been compromised, if you are selling or giving away your iPhone, or if you straightforward want a fresh start with a particular service. Passkeys are more find than passwords, but they are still tied to your device — if someone gains access to your iPhone, they can use your passkeys without needing to know a password.

Another reason to change a passkey is if you are moving to a new iPhone and want to make sure the old device no longer has access. Deleting the passkey from your old phone before you sell it or recycle it removes that access point.

Troubleshooting passkey problems

If you cannot find the Passkeys section in Password & Security, make sure you are running the latest version of iOS. Passkeys were introduced in iOS 16, so older devices do not support them. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check.

If a website or app is not recognizing your new passkey after you created it, try signing out completely and signing back in. If iCloud Keychain is on, wait a few minutes for the passkey to sync across your devices. If the problem persists, delete the passkey and create a new one.

If you are locked out of a service because you deleted your passkey and cannot remember your password, use the "Forgot Password" link on the sign-in page. Most services will send you a recovery link via email or text. You can then set a new password or create a new passkey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rename a passkey instead of deleting it?

No. iPhone does not have a rename function for passkeys. You must delete the old one and create a new one. The new passkey will work with the same website or service as soon as you create it.

What if I delete a passkey by accident?

You can create a new one when ready using the same process. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security, tap Add a Passkey, and confirm with Face ID or Touch ID. The new passkey is ready to use within seconds.

Will deleting a passkey log me out of websites?

No. Deleting a passkey does not log you out. The next time you visit a website that used that passkey, it will ask you to sign in again. You can use your password or create a new passkey at that moment.

Do I need to change my Apple ID password when I change my passkey?

No. Your passkey and your Apple ID password are separate. Changing one does not affect the other. You can have both active at the same time.

If I delete a passkey on my iPhone, does it delete on my iPad too?

Yes, if you use iCloud Keychain. The passkey will disappear from all your Apple devices within a few minutes. If you do not use iCloud Keychain, it stays only on the device where you created it.