Passkey difference

Fairgame

Would someone explain in my level of understanding the difference between filling user name and password vs passkey? I know, dumb question.
For example, on iPad, using Brave browser, logging to Amazon, I get:

• login page, 1PW fills in user name
• next I get password window, rapidly replaced by 1PW message to use passkey I have set up earlier.
• next 2FA window option is presented and I just paste the code 1PW has available.

Everything works great, same number of steps. But what is the difference in step two between filling in password vs passkey, both available and provided by 1PW?
I really just click through the whole process, no app switching is necessary and it feels like magic. At least with user name, password and 2FA code the steps made sense.
Thanks

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1Password Version: 8.10.52
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: 18.1.1
Browser: Brave

Dave_1P

Hello @Fairgame! 👋

Thanks for the question! On the iPhone and iPad, whether you choose to sign in with a password or a passkey 1Password will use iOS AutoFill to handle the process. 1Password only provides the data for the experience.

When you sign into a website that you've saved a passkey for, that website will make a request for your passkey that will be received by iOS AutoFill. iOS AutoFill will then use the passkey saved in 1Password to sign you into the website in question in Brave on your iPad.

Passkeys are a modern alternative to passwords and are based on a public-private key pair, it's the private key that is saved in 1Password and never leaves 1Password. When using a passkey you're more secure since passkeys are resistant to phishing and are never exposed to other apps through methods like the system clipboard (which is used when you copy/paste a password).

Let me know if you have any specific questions about using passkeys on your iPad. 🙂

-Dave

Fairgame

Thanks for high level explanation (my level).