TikTok rolls out passkey login for iOS devices

The list of third-party apps that support passkey login on the iPhone has grown by one, thanks to TikTok. Users of the popular video-sharing service will now have the option to sign in with their passkey associated with their Apple ID, which means they can easily get into their account using Face or Touch ID. Passkeys are considered a safer option than password logins, since they're comprised of a cryptographic key pair.

One of the keys is a public key that's associated with the website or service, while the other is a private key stored only in the user's device. Services and apps like TikTok don't have access to that private key, and users can't copy it down or give it out, making passkeys resistant to data breaches and social engineering by bad actors. iOS devices authenticate users' identity for logins using their biometric data before matching their private key with a service's public one.

To be able to use passkeys on TikTok for iPhones and iPads, their device must be running the latest version of iOS. Their iCloud Keychain must also be enabled, because Apple stores passkeys in its password management system. Finally, two-factor authentication must be switched on for their Apple ID.

TikTok will start rolling out passkey support to certain regions in Asia, Africa, Australia and South America this month. The video sharing service said the feature will be available in other locations and on other operating systems over time, so it will most likely make its way to North America and to Android devices. TikTok users who get access to the login option can activate it by going to their Profile at the bottom of the app and then accessing Settings and privacy in the Menu. From there, they need to access the Account option and then tap iCloud passkey to see the setup screen.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-rolls-out-passkey-login-for-ios-devices-053212136.html?src=rss